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^  From  the  Rev.  W.  B.  SPRAGUE,  D.D.  Sept.  1839.  ^ 


Sprague  Collection.  Vol. 


LIBRARY 

Sluologira!  J'nn  inane 

PRINCETON.  N.  ± 
xt  r'  Division 

No.  Case, _ 

No.  Shelf,  S-qgu ------ 

No.  Book, _ - 


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in  2017  with  funding  from 
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https  ://arch  i  ve .  o  rg/detai  Is/scri  ptu  redoctri  nOO  west 


Mr.  Weft’s 
EXAMINATION 

of  the  DOCTRINE  of 

ATONEMENT. 


W- 

THE 

i 

-SCRIPTURE  DOCTRINi 


O  F 


If 


ATONEMENT, 


Proposed  to  careful 


Examination ; 


By  STEPHEN  WEST,  A.  M, 
Pastor  of  the  Church  in  STOCKBRIDGE. 


Ought  not  Chrift  to  have  fujfered  thefe  Things — ? 

Luke,  xxiv.  2 6. 

Without  Jhedding  of  Blood  is  no  Remijfior..  Heb.  ix.  22. 


N  E  IV  -  H  A  V  E  N ; 

Printed  by  MEIGS,  BOWEN  and  DANA. 
M,  DCC,  LXXXY. 


r  \ 


PREFACE 


AMONG  the  feveral  doctrines  of 
divine  Revelation,  that  of  the 
Atonement  holds  a  place  of  principal 
importance  ;  and,  has  fo  evident  a 
connection  with  the  diftingujfhing  doc¬ 
trines  of  Chriftianity,  that  they  will 
be  found,  on  careful  inquiry,  to  ftand 
or  fall  with  it.  ‘This  lies  at  the  hot- 


tom  of  that  fyftem  of  fentiments  which 
principally  diftinguifhes  Chriftianity 
from  mere  natural  religion.  With  this 
are  connected  the  doCtrines  of  the  Di¬ 
vinity  of  Chrifii  juftification  by  an  un¬ 
fitted  righteoufnefs  and  the  perpetuity 
of  punifhment  in  the  future  world , 
For,  it  the  doCtrine  of  atonement  be 

given 


(  Vi  ) 

given  up  ;  that  of  the  Divinity  of 
Chrift  will  no  longer  he  maintained  : 
As  we  can  hardly  believe  that  a 
God  ever  came  into  the  world  toper- 
fcrm  a  work  which  did  not  require  the 
perfection  and  power  oi  -a  God ;  or, 
that  he  came  to  reveal  in  words,  and 
enforce  by  example,  a  fyfieiji  of  doc¬ 
trines,  which  might  haye  been  as  per¬ 
fectly  revealed,  and  as:  compleatly  ex¬ 
emplified,  by  a  mere  creature .  If 
there  be  no  atonement  for  fin,  the  re¬ 
pentance  of  tinners  mu  ft  be  the  foie 
ground  on  which  they  are  pardoned; 
and  laved  :  And,  confequently,  no 
other  righteoufnefs  than  their  own  is, 
in  any  fenfe,  the  ground  of  acceptance 
in  the  fight  of  God.  If,  moreover, 
the  moral  law ,  that  perfect  rule  of 
divine  government,  will  admit  peni¬ 
tents  to  favour,  without  any  atone¬ 
ment  ;  it  will  hardly  be  believed  that 
the  difpontion,  in  the  governor  of  the 
world,  which  Rich  a  law,  fo  con- 

ftru&ed. 


drafted,  and  fo  underitcod,  will  n 
turally  exhibit ;  can  ever  admit  of 
indicting  etertial  torments  on  any 
his  creatures.  For,  if  the  offence 
the  finner  be  no  greater,  in  the  view 
of  God,  than  may  be  overlooked  mere¬ 
ly  upon  the  conflderation  of  his  re- 
fehffMce,  and,  not  only  wholly  over¬ 
looked,  but  the  tranfgreflor  be  treated 
with  every  mark  of  friendfhip  and  fa¬ 
vour  :  Who  will  believe  that  there  is 
difpleaflure  enough  exifting  in  the  di- 
vind  mind,  ever  to  inflict  eternal  tor - 
ments  f  For  God  to  make  fuch  a  dif- 
tin&ion  between  one  who  confeffedly 
fpends  this  fhort  life  chiefly  in  fln, 
and  one  who  fpends  it  wholly  fo  ;  and 
that ,  too,  when  the  crimes  of  the  for¬ 
mer,  as  the  cafe  may  be,  and  many 
times  in  flaB  is,  greatly  exceed  thofe 
of  the  latter  ;  naturally  furpaffeth  all 
belief. 

Therefore,  he  that  renounce th  the 
dodlrine  of  atonement ,  to  be  confident 

with 


C  .via  ) 

with  himfelf,  mufl,  alfo,  renounce 
thofe  of  the  Divinity  of  Chrifi ,  and 
the  eternity  of  puni foment .  And, 
when  thefe  three  grand  points  are  giv¬ 
en  up,  there  is  nothing  left,  in  the 
fyilem  of  revealed  truth,  materially  to 
ciiftinguifh  it  from  mere  natural  religi¬ 
on  :  And  a  crucified  Chrifi  will  no 
longer  appear  to  be  the  power  of  God 
and  the  wifdom  of  God. 

For  this  reafon  it  is  that  thedo&rine 
of  atonement  has  ever  been  a  rock  of 
offence  to  the  enemies  of  divine  Reve¬ 
lation.  Becaufe  it  {lands  in  this  con¬ 
nection,  and  fo  evidently  implies,  both 
die  Divinity  of  Chrifi,  and  the  eter¬ 
nity  of  punifhment ;  many  have  la¬ 
boured,  with  their  whole  ftrength,  to 
fubvert  it.  But,  if  this  falls,  it  falls 
like  a  flrong  man  ;  pulling  down 
with  it,  the  very  pillars  of  Chriflianity. 

Thefe  con fi derations,  it  is  hoped, 
will  be  a  fufficient  apology  for  an  at¬ 
tempt  to  vindicate  this  great  doCtriiie,. 

and 


I 


(  ix  ') 

Und  fet  it  m  its  true  and  feriptufa 
lic'ht.  Of  the  fuecefs  with  which  thi 

CD  ^ 

deiipm  is  executed,  in  the  following 
pages  ;  the  candid,  intelligent  reader 
muff  judge.  I  can  only  fay  that  a 
d'etre  to  fupport  an  Lvpothejjs  has  not, 
that  I  am  fenhble,  gioffed  any  of  thole 
paffages  of  Scripture,  which  I  have 
had  occahoii  to  conhder,  in  the  dif- 
cuffion  or  thefabjecf.  I  pretend  not, 
however,  to  be  free  from  thofe  prepof- 
fefilons  which  are  common  to  finiui 
men. 

But  the  following  treat! fe,  imper¬ 
fect  as  it  is,  with  all  due  deference,  is 
humbly  offered  to  public  view  ;  in 
hope  that  it  may  be  the  occafion  of 
throwing  feme  fmall  degree  of  light 
on  fo  important  a  fubjedt.  No  cauti¬ 
on,  it  is  readily  feen,  is  neceffary  to 
be  given  to  any  one,  againii  receiving 
any  thing  that  is  contained  in  it,  Upon 
the  mere  authority  of  the  writer.  If 
what  of  truth  may  be  contained  ill 
B  the 


(  x  ) 

:he  following  examination  cf  the 
Scripture  Dodfrine  of  atonement,  may 
gain  admiflion  into  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  fach  as  fhall  be  at  the  trouble 
cf  -perilling  it ;  this  will  be  the  utmoil 
that  can  reafonably  be  afked,  or  dc- 
fired  by  the  Author, 

N,/  I  A  i  -  '  *  ' 

Sisckbridge ,  14 th  Aprils  178 5, 


(  V  ■) 


CONTAINING  obfervatiom 
refpedling  Gods  chief  end 
in  the  creation  of  the  worlds  Page  i — >io. 

CHAP.  II,  An  inquiry  into  the  original 
ground  of  the  neceffity  of  an  atonement ,  in 
order  to  the  jorgivenefs  of  jin.  10—37. 

CHAP.  III.  An  inquiry  into  the  d'ejign  and 
import  of  the  bloody  facrifces  required  under 
the  Mofaic  difpenfation.  37- — 53. 

CHAP.  IIII.  In  which  it  is  inquired  whe¬ 
ther  there  be  not  evidence  that  Chrifi  died  in 
tbe  ROOM  and  STEAD  of  /inner s.  5-3— 65,* 

CHAP.  V.  Shewing  the  neceffity  of  Chrifi' s 
perfedi  obedience  in  order  to  his  making  atone¬ 
ment  for  fin\  and\  the  inf  uence  which  his 
perfonal  righteoufixfs  hath\  in  procuring  par¬ 
don  for  the-  finner.  65, — 76. 

CHAP.  VI.  Shewing  the  ends  which  are  an- 
fwered  by  the  fufferings  of  Chrifi ;  and,  what 
is  tbe  language  and  import  of  them.  76—102*, 

CHAP, 


CHAP.  VII.  In  which  it  is  Jhewn  that  the 
anger xf  God  which  appeared ,  and  was  ex - 
pre/fed,  in  the  bufferings  of  Chr if -y  was,  re~ 
ally,  againjl  /inner s.  102 — 119. 

CHAP.  VIII.'  Shewing  the  conffency  of  full 
atonement  with  free  pardon.  119 — 128. 

CHAP.  IX.  Shewing  in  what  way  it  may 
be  accounted for ,  that  the  fufferings  of  Chrijl 
jhkild  be  exceedingly  gre  at.  1 2  8 —  1 4 1 . 

CHAP.  X.  Shewing  in  what  fenfe  atorie - 
:  meni  is  made  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
world.  1 4 1— -164. 


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THE 


SCRIPTURE  DOCTRINE 


OF 


ATONEMENT,  &e. 


CHAP.  I. 

O bfervations  refpeEling  God’s  chief  End  in  the 
Creation  of  the  World. 

ON  E  principal  difficulty  in  underftand- 
ing  this  great  and  fundamental  dotftrine, 
probably  confifts  in  our  ignorance  of  the  necef- 
fity  of  it.  So  long  as  we  difcern  no  neceffity  of 
an  atonement  for  fin,  in  order  to  forgivenefs, 
the  nature  and  import  of  it  will  be  unintelli¬ 
gible.  And,  the  reafon  why  an  atonement  for 
fin  is  neceffary,  will  not  be  feen,  without  fome 
juft  and  general  view  of  the  great  End  for 
which  God  originally  gave  birth  to  Creation. 

Though  unaffifted  reafon  might  be  very  une¬ 
qual  to  the  determination  of  fo  important  a  queft- 
ron,  divine  revelation  hath  abundantly  fupplied 
the  defedt;  in  forming  our  fentiments  on  a  queft- 
ion  of  fuch  moment,  it  becomes  us  to  be  efpeci- 
ally  careful  that  we  do  not  pervert  nor  go  afide 
from  the  inftru&ions  of  the  word  of  God.  Ta-. 


CHAP.  If 


king  Revelation  for  our  guide,  we  need  not  be 
afraid  to  enquire  into  things  which  are  above  the 
reach  of  mere  natural  reafon.  And,  by  thefe  un¬ 
erring  oracles  we  are  unquestionably  authoriled 
to  conclude,  that  a  difplay ,  ■  or  manifefititkn ,  of 
of  bis  ozvn  true  and  infinitely  holy  char  abler,  mas  the 
chief  and  ultimate  end  mhich  God  had  in  view, 
in  creation. y  .  ■  ■ 

For  God  to  manifeft  his  own  proper  charac¬ 
ter  is,  invariably,  to,  mariifelt  iome  thing  that  is 
excellent.  Wherever  we  difeover-  the  divine  cha¬ 
racter,  we  fee  Something  that  is  excellent.  To  fay, 
therefore,  that  a  manifeftation  of  his  own  true  and 
holy  character  was  God’s  chief  and  ultimateEnd  in 
creation,  is  no  more  than  fayipg,  in  the  language 
of  Scripture,  that  he  made  all  things  for  his  plca- 
fury,  forhis  glory,  or  for  his  great  name's "Jake,  ft 
is  the  pleafure,  and  the  glory  of  God,  to  make 
Some  external  exhibition  of  his  own  inherent  per¬ 
fection  ;  'and,  to.  difeover  to  hi?  creatures,  his 
own  proper  character,  which  is,  in  itfelf,  infi¬ 
nitely  excellent.  God  evidently  designed  to  ex* 
hibit  an  external  image,  or  portraiture  of  his 
own  infinite  piind,  in  which  its  beauties  and 
excellencies  might  be  leen  by  his  creatures. 
Tut,  the  excellencies  of  Mind,  we  are  all  len fi¬ 
bre,  can  be  adeemed  by  others,  only  in  the 
external  expre  ikons  of  its  capacity  and  difpofi- 
tion,  or  temper.  So  that  we  have  no  where  to 
learn  the  divine  character,  but  in  his  works, 
taken  in  connexion  with  his  word. 

As  we  all  agree  that  Goa  is  moft  eminent?, 
iy  good,  it  is  evident  that  the  real  difpofirion  cf 

.  his  . 

T  toil  a  p-.rticular  enumeration  of  pafiages  pf  Scripture  in  proof 

.  '  point,  fee.  the  late  Prelidcnt  Edwards  op  Cop  s  J:fl,  End  m 
t.,  ci  fatten  of  the  World. 


CHAP.  I. 


his  infinite  mind  doth  not  appear,  excepting  jn 
works  of  goodnels,  and  where  fome  good  is  a at- 
ually  done.  His  true  character,  therefore,  can¬ 
not  othenvife  be  manifefted  than  in  doing  gocjd. 
Confequently,  a  manifeftaticn  of  the  proper  clfa- 
radter  of  God,  will  neceffarily  comprehend  all 
the  good,  all  the  created  felicity,  which  he  ever 
had  it  in  defign  to  bring  about  j  and,  which 
will  ever  be  acconmliffied. 


That  the  chief  and  ultimate  End  which  God 
had  in  view  in  creation,  was  a  manifeftation  of 
his  own  true  and  proper  charadfer,  may  appear 
from  thefe  two  confiderations,  viz. 


I.  We  can  conceive  of  no  other  End  which 
the  fupreme  Being  could  have  in  view  in  this 
great  work.  The  motives  for  God  to  create ,  muff, 
of  nece  fifty,  all  be  within  himfelf.  No  motive 
pould  be  derived  from  any  thing  out  of  himfelf ; 
for  no  Inch  thing  had  any  exigence.  And,  to  fay 
that  Creation  itielf,  or  any  thing  created,  was  the 
motive,  in  the  divine  mind,  to  creation  ;  is  but 
going  in  a  circle  ;  and  leaves  us  as  ignorant  of 
the  End  of  creation  at  the  clofe  of  our  inquiry, 
as  at  our  firft  fetting  out, 


To  fay  that  the  happinefs  to  be  produced  by 
creation,  was  God’s  primary  End  in  giving  birth 
to  it,  fuppofes  that  the  Creator  is  effentially  of  a 
difpofition  to  be  pleaded  with  the  happinefs  of 
his  creatures.  This  mu. ft  be  true,  in  order  that 
the  happinefs  of  creatures  might  be  a  motive  to 
him  to  create.  And,  if  God  is  effentially  poffefff 
ed  of  a  difpofition  of  this  kind  of  fuff, dent 
(frength  to  induce  him  to  create  ;  He  neither 
needed,  nor  in  the  nature  of  things  Could  have, 
?.ny  motive  from  without  himfelf,  to  this  great. 

work, 


CHAP.  I. 


4- 

•work.  In  this  cafe  the  difpofition  to  produce  and 
ciffufe  happinefs,  muft,  itfelf,  be  the  motive  to 
the  work  of  creation  ;  and,  not  the  hitherto  un¬ 
created  happinefs.  And,  if  this  difpofition  were 
net  originally  of  fuch  ftrength,  as  neceffarily  to 
flow  out  in  its  natural  effects  ;  there  neither  was, 
nor  could  be,  any  thing  in  the  univerfe,  tc  give 
it  new  ftrength,  and  draw  it  forth  into  action. 
If  the  difpofition  to  produce  and  diffufe  happi¬ 
nefs  were  not,  itfelf,  the  motive  to  creation  ; 
we  can  conceive  of  nothing  to  give  lpring  to  it, 
and  fet  it  in  motion  :  And,  it  muft,  of  courfe, 
remain  utterly  unaccountable  that  ever  God  made 

the  world. 

✓ 

The  obi  eft  of  the  divine  Mind,  in  creation, 
could  not  be  really  to  add  to  himfelf,  or  increafe 
his  own  fulnefs :  For,  his  being  and  fulnefs  were 
already  infinite  ;  and,  of  courfe,  beyond  a  poffi- 
bility  of  increafe.  It  remains,  therefore,  that  to 
diffufe  that  infinite  and  unbounded  fulnefs  which 
he  poffdfeth  in  himfelf,  muft  have  been  the  pri¬ 
mary  and  original  end  of  creation.  And,  this  is 
nothing  different  from  faying  that  a  manifejlation 
vf  his  own  true  character,  was  the  chief  and  ulti- 
tnate  End  which  God  had  in  view ,  in  creation. 

II.  There  could,  in  the  nature  of  things,  be 
no  higher  or  more  excellent  end  of  creation,  than 
a  manifeftation  of  the  true  character  of  God. 
As  the  divine  character  is  in  itfelf,  tranfcendently 
excellent  ;  fo  are  all  the  manifeftations  of  it  in 
the  exercifes  of  his  perfections  :  And,  in  thefe 
exercifes  and  manifeftations,  there  is  greater 
beauty,  than  in  all  created  virtue  together.  And 
as  there  is  a  beauty  in  the  exercifes  and  difplays 
of  the  divine  perfections,  infinitely  fuperior  to 
ail  created  excellency  and  beauty  there  is,  alfo, 

proportionably 


CHAP. 


proportionably  greater  felicity  in  the  divine  mine/, 
in  thefe  exercifes,  than  can  polfibly  exift  in  all 
creatures.  Confequently,  it  is,  in  itfelf,  tie 
moft  definable  thing  that  can  be  conceived,  that 
God  fnould  exercife  and  difplay  his  own  glorious 
•  perfections.  Every  thing  which  is  either  defina¬ 
ble,  or  beautiful,  in  creatures,  is  found  in  an  in¬ 
finitely  higher  degree  in  the  exercifes  of  the  in¬ 
herent  perfections  of  the  divine  Mind.  And, 
thefe  exercifes  are  naturally  accompanied  with 
infinitely  greater  good,  than  the  united  exercifes 
of  all  created  power  and  virtue  together.  To  fay 
that  the  beauty  and  worth  of  the  exercifes  of  God’s 
perfections,  confiit  principally  in  the  virtue  and 
happinefs  which  they  produce  in  creatures,  is  to 
make  the  virtue  and  happinefs  of  God,  himfelf, 
of  lefs  worth  and  importance  than  thole  of  his 
creatures.  And,  this  is  the  fame  as  to  fay  that 
finite  virtue  and  happinefs,  are  of  more  worth 
than  infinite. 

The  ejfiefils  of  the  exercife  and  difplay  of  God’s 
perfections;  are  the  virtue  and  happinefs  of  crea¬ 
tures.  But  if  the  virtue  and  happinefs  of  crea¬ 
tures,  are  of  real'  worth  ;  that  fame  kind  of  vir  ¬ 
tue  and  happinefs  exifting  in  an  infinitely  higher 
degree,  in  the  Creator,  is  infinitely  more  fo. 
And,  therefore,  the  exercife  and  manifestation  of 
the  divine  perfections  is  an  objeCt,  in  itfelf  con- 
fidered,  of  infinitely  greater  importance  than  the 
good  of  the  creature. 

Though  the  created  beauty  and  good  which 
are  the  natural  effeCts  of  the  exercife  and  mani- 
feltation  of  the  divine  perfections,  mull  of  necef- 
fity  be  confidered  as  connected  with  thefe  mani- 
ieftations:  The  objeCts,  neverthelefs,  are  two; 
and,  capable  of  an  entirely  diftinCt  confideration. 

And, 


CHAP,  h 


S 

And,  as  they  are  capable  of  being  diftinClly  and 
feparately  confidered,  the  virtue  and  good  of  the 
creature,  mu  ft  be  confidered  only  as  the  ftream' 
to  the  fountain,  when  compared  with  the  virtue 
and  happinefs  of  God.  And,  confequently,  the 
the  good  of  the  creature,  confidered  as  an  objedl 
in  and  of  itfelf,  could  no  more  give  fpring  to  the 
divine  perfections,  and  put  them  into  exercife  ; 
than  the  ftream  which  proceeds  from  the  foun¬ 
tain,  could  put  the  fountain  itfelf  into  motion, 
and  caufe  it  to  overflow. 

As,  therefore,  there  could  be  no  other,  or 
higher  end  of  creation,  than  a  manifeftation  of 
the  true  and  proper  character,  the  real  perfecti¬ 
on  of  God,  we  may  fafely  conclude  that  this  was 
the  chief  and  primary  End  which  God  had  in 
view,  irt  creating  the  world  :  And,  that  the  eaui'e 
and  reafon  of  creation  is  to  be  fought  no  where 

but  in  the  divine  mind  itfelf - in  the  real,  ef- 

fential  perfection  of  God. 

It  being  evident,  then,  that  a  manifeftation  of 
his  own  true  and  proper,  character,  was  the  chief 
and  ultimate  End  which  God  had  in  view,  in 
creation  ;  thefe  feveral  confequences  will  natu¬ 
rally  follow  from  it,  viz. 

i.  That,  all  God’s  government  will  be  cal¬ 
culated,  in  the  bcft  manner,  to  difcovcr  to  his 
creatures,  his  own  true  character  f  and,  exhibit  a 
genuine  picture  of  it  to  the  world.  That  this  is, 
and  ever  will  be,,  the  cafe,  may  certainly  be  con¬ 
cluded  from  the  unchangeable-  nature  of  God. 
God’s  works  will  all  be  carried  on  with  the  fame 
defign  with  which  they  were  originally  begum 
Its  purpofes  are  all  connected,  uniform,  and  har¬ 
monious.  With  Him  there  is  no  variableness, 

nor 


CHAP.  I. 


/ 

/  / 


nor  even  fhadow  of  turning.  As  he  gave/ 
birth  to  creation  with  a  view  to  difplay  the 
excellencies  of  his  own  glorious  character  ;  with 
the  fame  view,  and  for  the  fame  deferable  enct 
lie  continues,  preferves  and  governs  the  world. 
For  his  pleafure  they  now  are,  as  well  as  original}-* 
]y  were  created.  All  that  God  Jays ,  and  all  that 
he  does,  have  one  uniform  and  glorious  objeft  in 
view.  Andj  his  government  is  as  true  a  picture 
of  his  character,  as  his  moral  laiv>  which  is  fre-1 
quently  and  juftlv  {tiled  a  tranfeript  of  the  divine 
perfeftions.  Accordingly,  we  may  forever  ex- 
peft  to  fee  his  mind  written,  and  his  char  after  as 
indubitably  expreffed,  in  what  he  does,  as  in 
what  he  fays — in  the  government  which  he  cxv 
ercifes ,  as  in  the  law  which  he  has  given.  For, 
with  the  fame  uniform  defign  he  creates,  gives 
law,  and  adminifters  government. 

The  fame  glorious  defign  which  is  exp  re  {Ted  in 
creation,  -will  be  invariably  expreffed  in  prefer- 
vation  :  For,  in  ftriftnefs  of  fpeech,  prefervation 
is  no  more  than  creation  continued.  What  gave 
birth  to  the  exiflence  of  creatures,  will  direft  in 
the  government  over  them.  And  fhould  we  en¬ 
tertain  a  thought  that  God’s  moral  government 
will  not  be  eternally  admin iftgred  in  fuch  a  man¬ 
ner  as  to  exprefs,.  to  the  beft  advantage,  his  true 
charafter  ;  we  muft  at  once  admit,  either  that  he 
has  changed  his  original  fcheme,  or  that  the  go¬ 
vernment  of  fo  vaft  and  complicated  a  fyftem  is 
become  too  unwieldy  for  its  great  and  original 
Creator:  Either  of  which  fuppofitions  is  atheifti- 
cal  and  abfurd. 

2.  From  the  preceding  obfervations  it  will 
follow  that  the  good  of  the  creature ,  in  itfelf  con- 
fidered,  was  not  the  chief  and  principal  end  of 
C  creation. 


CHAP.  J. 


S 


creation.  However  elofely  a  manifejlation  of  the 
divine  perfection  and  the  good  of  the  creature  may 
be  connected  together:  they  are  ftill  capable 
of  being  viewed  as  diftinct  objeds,  in  many  re- 
fpects  infinitely  diverfe  from  each  other.  Though 
it  be  readily  granted  that  God’s  ends  are  anfwer- 
cd  in  the  good  of  the  creature ;  neverthelefs,  the 
defigns  and  purposes  of  God,  and  that  wherein 
thefe  purpofes  and  defigns  are  accomplifbed,  are 
as  perfectly  two,  as  any  different  objeds  whate¬ 
ver.  A  parent’s  whole  pleafure  may  be  in  the 
good  of  the  child  :  neverthelefs,  the  parent's 
pleafure  and  the  child's  good ,  are  two  objedts,  ca¬ 
pable  of  entirely  diftind:  and  feparate  confidera- 
tion.  And  however  clolei-y  they  may  be  con¬ 
nected  together,  the  very  fuppofition  of  their 
connection  implies  that  they  are  two  ;  and  there¬ 
fore,  capable  of  being  feparately  confidered. 
So,  however  clofely  the  'glory  of  God,  or  a  ma- 
nifeftation  of  his  true  and  proper  charader,  and 
the  good  of  the  creature ,  may  be  conneded  toge¬ 
ther  ;  the  objeds  are,  neverthelefs,  in  nature 
really  two;  and  entirely  capable  of  diftind:  con¬ 
sideration.  And,  if  in  nature  two ,  one  may  have 
a  primary  and  original  influence  in  the  divine 
works,  rather  than  the  other.  Put,  the  more  im¬ 
portant  one,  or  that  in  which  there  is  the  greateff 
degree  of  weight,  excellency1,  and  worth,  every 
thing  concurs  to  prove  would  indeed  be  the  ob- 
jed  of  chief  conhderation.  As  much  more  beau¬ 
ty  and  worth,  therefore,  as  there  are  in  the  real 
cxercifes  and  difplays  of  the  divine  perfedions  and 
character,  than  in  the  created  fruits  of  them  in 
creatures  ;  (however  dole  and  infeparable  the 
connection  may  be  between  thefe  different  objeCts) 
fo  much  more  is  the  former  an  original  and  chief 
End  of  God  in  creation,  than  the  latter . 

3-  It 


CHAP.  I. 


9 


3.  It  follows,  from  what  has  been  faid,  that 
God  will  take  effe&ual  care,  that  in  all  his  admi- 
niftration,  the  majefty,  the  fuperior  dignity  of 
his  own  infinitely  excellent  character,  fiiall  bq 
fully  and  perfectly  preferved.  Since  God  made( 
the  world  for  the  fake  of  difplaying  his  own  truq 
chara6ler,  we  may  reft  allured  that  he  will  take 
effedtual  care  that  the  glory  and  dignity  of  it  be 
effedtually  preferved  in  the  view  of  all  his  crea¬ 
tures.  Nothing  will  ever  take  place  in  the  divine 
government  that  will  have  a  tendency  finally  to 
fink  the  character  of  God,  in  the  view  of  hts  crea¬ 
tures  :  But,  on  the  other  hand,  in  his  progrefiive 
adminiftration,  it  will  continually  rife  higher  and 
higher,  appear  more  and  more  refpedtable,  and 
be  cloathed  with  greater  majefty  and  glory.  Eve¬ 
ry  part  cf  the  divine  conduft  will  certainly  be 
fuch  as  to  demand  the  higheft  veneration  and 
efteem,  and  tend  in  the  view  of  all  intelligent 
cies,  to  increafe  that  infinite  diftance  which  really 
fubfifts  between  him  and  all  created  beings. 

No  part  of  the  divine  condudt  will  ever  be 
fuch  as  naturally  tends  to  reprefent  in  a  diminu¬ 
tive  light,  his  hatred  of  all  oppofition  to  the  good 
for  which  he  made  the  World,  or  his  abhorrence 
of  rebellion  and  wickednefs.  For  this  would  not 
exhibit  his  true  character,  but  the  reverfe ;  this 
would  not  correfpond  with  his  oracles,  his  verbal 
declarations,  but  contradict  them.  We  may 
therefore  certainly  conclude,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  in  God’s  progrelfive  dealings  with  his  crea¬ 
tures,  that  tranfcendentiy  excellent  and  glorious 
difpofition  of  the  divine  Mind,  whereby  he  holds 
all  moral  evil  in  the  greateft  poffible  abhorrence, 
•will  be  continually  appearing  in  more  lively  and 
glowing  colours. 


To 


IO 


CHAP.  II. 


To  fuppofe  that  this  will  certainly  be  the  cafe, 
is  perfectly  ccrrelpondent  with  what  the  holy 
Scriptures  teach  us  mui%  originally  have  been  the 
clefign  of  God  in  giving  exiftence  to  moral  crea¬ 
tures.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  fhould  the 
divine  government,  in  its  progreflive  fteps,  im- 
prefs  the  minds  of  creatures,  with  no  deeper  and 
more  affecting  fenfe  of  his  infinite  purity  and  ha¬ 
tred  of  iniquity  ;  the  whole  moral  character  of 
the  great  governor  of  the  world  muft,  of  neceffi- 
ty,  fuffer  ;  and  appear  not  uniform,  nor  wholly 
without  defedh 

CHAPTER  II.  . 

An  inquiry  into  the  original  ground  of  the  r.ecejjity  cf 
an  atonement ,  in  order  to  the  fcrgivenefs  cf Jin . 

TH  E  original  defig-n  of  God,  in  the  creation 
of  the  world,  'will  naturally  lead  us  to  fup¬ 
pofe  that  a  difpcfition  to  exhihit  his  character  in 
its  true  colours,  the  caufe  of  his  requiring 
an  atonement  for  fin,  before  he  w'ould  exercife 
pardoning  mercy.  Since  this  was  God’s  original 
End  jn  creation  j  this  muft,  alfo,  be  the  govern¬ 
ing  principle  in  all  his  future  adminiftration.  Ot 
courfe,  therefore,  the  true  reafon  why  God  requir¬ 
ed  an  atonement  for  fin  was,  that  the  real  dijpofi- 
Hon  of  his  own  infinite  mind-,  toward  fuch  an  objedt, 
might  appear  ;  even  though  he  pardoned  and  faved 
the  /inner.  Could  the  character  of  God,  the  dil- 
poution  of  the  divine  mind  both  toward  holinefs 
and  fin,  otherwife  appear  to  equal  advantage  j 
there  is  not  the  leaft  reafon  to  imagine  that  he 
would  ever  have  required  an  atonement :  Becaufe 
God  never  will  be  at  expence,  where  no  advan¬ 
tage  is  gained.  But,  to  fay  that  this  is  the  con- 

fideration 


CHAP.  II. 


ic 


fideration  which  originally  made  an  atonement 
neceflary  ;  is  the  fame  as  to  fay  that  the  necefiity 
of  it  in  order  to  a  proper  exercife  of  mercy,  arbfe 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  divine  charafter,  and 
the  efiential  perfe&ion  of  God.  For  it  is  the 
efiential  perfeftion  of  the  divine  nature,  and  the 
genuine  character  of  God,  that  are  to  be  difplay- 
ed  in  all  his  works  and  government. 

It  is  reafonable  to  fuppofe  that  God  required  an 
atonement  for  fin,  that  his  creatures  might  be 
fenfible  of  the  abhorrence  he  has  of  it,  notwith- 
ftanding  the  forgivenefs  he  is  pleafed  to  exercife 
toward  the  finner.  The  End  which  God  had  in 
view,  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  forbids  the 
exercife  of  mercy  toward  fmners,  in  fuch  a  way 
as  naturally  tends  to  diminiih  the  ideas  of  their 
infinite  guilt  and  ill  defert  in  his  fight.  As  the 
real  averfion  of  the  divine  mind  from  fin  is  infi¬ 
nite,  it  evidently  became  his  character  to  adopt 
fome  meafures,  in  his  providence,  effe&ually  to 
convince  his  creatures  that  this  averfion  ftill  fub- 
fifts,  in  all  its  ftrength,  even  though  he  pardons 
the  finner.  Otherwife,  the  character  of  God 
would,  of  necefiity,  be  mifapprehended  by  his 
creatures  ;  and  the  nature  of  his  mercy  be  mifr 
underftood. 

We  may  confide  ia  it  that  nothing  will  ever 
take  place  in  the  divine  government,  which  will 
tend  to  render  the  fpotlefs  holinefs  of  God  in  the 
lead:  degree  fufpicious  }  or  reprefent  him  lefs  an 
enemy  to  fin,  than  a  friend  to  virtue.  And  that, 
in  order  to  this,  there  was  originally  in  the  nature 
of  things,  a  necefiity  of  an  atonement,  before 
mercy  could  be  exercifed  in  the  pardon  of  the 
finner  ;  will  appear  from  the  following  confidera- 
tions,  viz, 


12 


CHAP.  II. 


I.  Should  God  pardon  abjolutely ,  or  without 
adopting  meafu res,  at  the  fame  time,  to  convince 
his  creatures  of  his  infinite  hatred  of  iniquity  ; 
his  regards  to  the  good  of  the  great  community 
over  which  he  prefides,  would  neceffarily  appear 
to  his  creatures  to  be  defective. 

It  iseffential  to  the  goodnefs.of  a  Governor,  or 
King,  to  guard  the  rights,  fecure  the  peace,  and 
promote  the  profperity  of  his  fubjefts.  No  one 
can  be  called  a  good  Governor,  who  doth  not 
exercife  his  fupremacy  and  authority,  in  framing 
and  executing  laws  for  the  protection  and  fafety  of 
his  fubjefts.  It  is  as  elfential  to  the.  aharafter  of 
a  good  Ruler,  to  punifh  vice,  as  tor  reward  vir¬ 
tue;  to  avenge  the  wrongs  of  his  fubjefts,  as  to 
fecure  their  interefts  :  Yea,  the  former  is  elfential 
to  the  latter-,  fmce,  only  the  fear  of  punifhment 
reftrains  wicked  men  from  violence.  Should  a 
ruler  fuffer  crimes  to  go  unpunifhed ;  the  laws, 
however  good  and  righteous  in.themfelves,  would 
prelently  lofe  their  authority  ;  and  government 
fall  into  contempt.  Lav/s  have  no  force,  any 
further  than  they  are  carried  into  execution;  and 
authority  lofes  its  refpeft'  whenever  it  ceafes  to 
beexercifed.  Whenever  the  lupreme  Magillrate 
neglefts  the  execution  of  the  laws,  he  lofes  the 
confidence  of  the  people ;  and  his  regard  to  the 
public  welfare  becomes  fufpefted.  No  one  can 
confide  in  his  public  fpirit,  when  he  fullers  the 
diflurbers  of  the  peace  to  go  unpunilhed  :  For 
ideas  of  true  regard  to  public  good,  as  neceflari- 
ly  conned:  punifhments  with  crimes,  as  rewards 
with  virtue. 

The  confidence  of  a  community  in  the  cha-r 
rafter  of  a  Governor,  arifes,  in  a  great  meafure, 
from  the  apprehenfions  they  have  of  his  fincere, 

benevolent 


CHAP.  II, 


n 

benevolent  regards  to  the  general  good.  And 
they  can  no  further  confide  in  his  regards  to  the 
public  good,  than  they  believe  him  to  be  averfe 
from  every  thing  that  injures  the  public.  As,  it 
is  impofiible  that  the  love  of  virtue ,  in  any  being 
whatever,,  fhould  exceed  his  hatred  of  vice ;  it  is 
impofllble  for  any  one  to  give  evidence  of  the 
former when,  the  objedt  being  prefented,  he 
negledts  exprefiing  the  latter ,  in  ways  becoming 
his  character.  : . 

Should  God  pardon  the  finner,  without  taking 
effectual  meafures  to  minifter  convidtion  of  his 
hatred  of  his  fins  ■,  the  evidence  of  his  love  to  the 
public  good,  would  necefiarily  be  defedtive. 
This,  of  courfe,  would  be  a  mode  of  adminiftra- 
tion  exceedingly  inconfiftent  with  his  original 
defign  in  the  creation  and  government  of  the 
World.  For, 

II.  If  God  fhould  pardon  fin  without  an  atone¬ 
ment,  he  could  not  be  believed  to  hate  iniquity. 

The  views  which  God  has  of  the  charadters  of 
his  creatures,  and.  the  affedtion  of  his  mind  re- 
fpedting  them,  can'  be  no  where  fo  clearly  feeh, 
as  in  the  treatment  he  adtually  gives  them.  God 
is  a  fjpirit,  invifible  to  men  5  and,  cannot  be 
known  intuitively  by  his  creatures.  We  can  fee 
him  only  in  Iris  word  and  works ;  and,  when  we 
confider  him  as  the  parent  and  fountain  of  all  be¬ 
ing  and  good ;  and,  ourfelves  as  the  mere  crea¬ 
tures  of  his  power,  moft  abfolutely  dependent  on 
him  ;  it  will  be' natural  for  us  to  fuppofe  that  his 
ultimate  treatment  of  us  affords  the  befl  rule 
whereby  we  may  judge  of  the  light  in  which 
he  views  our  characters  ;  and  of  the  difpofition 
he  entertains  towards  us.  And  though  words 

are 


14 


CHAP.  II. 


are  fignificant,  they  are  yet  let's  fo  than  aEHons. 
*Tis  a  common,  and  a  juft  o'bfervation,  that 
aftions  fpeak  louder  than  words  :  Yea,  a  maxim 
©n  which  we  fo  firmly  rely,  that  we  give  the  whole 
Weight  to  the  former,  when  they  contradict  the 
latter.  All  agree  that  the  mind  and  will  of  God 
tnay  be  intelligibly  exprefied  in  words.  Yet,  no 
One  will  deny  that  they-  may  be  written  in  much 
deeper  and  more  legible  characters,  in  the  fenfi- 
ble  pleafures  and  pains  which  he  may  beftow, -or 
infliCt  upon  us.  Therefore,  the  evidence  of 
God’s  love  of  virtue,  and  his  hatred  6f  vice,  muft 
ultimately  be  derived  from  the  treatment  he  gives 
his  creatures.  In  this  we  ultimately  and  mod  fen- 
fibly,  difcover  his  view  of  the  characters  of  his 
creatures,  arid  the  eftimation  in  which  he  holds 
them  :  And,  in  this  we  mod  clearly  difcover  the 
feelings  of  the  divine  mind  toward  virtue  and 
vice. 

If  the  views  which  the  fupreme  Being  enter¬ 
tains-  of  chafcciers,  and  the  feelings  of  his  mind 
towards  thofc  who  fuftain  them,  are  mod  clearly 
diftovered  in  the  treatment  of  his  creatures;  in 
the  natural  good  and  evil  he  ultimately  brings  up¬ 
on  them  :  Then,  of  courfe,  where  the  treatment 
is  the  fame,  we  are  to  judge  that  the  feelings,  the 
difpofition,  of.  the  divine  mind  toward  the  ob¬ 
jects,  are  alio  the  fame :  What  but  this  can  be 
the  rule  of  our  judgment  ?  It  God’s  treatment 
be  the  belt  and  ultimate  rule  of  judging;  then, 
fimilar  treatment  authorifes  us  to  believe  that 
he  holds  all  the  fubjeCts  of  it  in  equal  eftimation ; 
and  is  equally  pleated,  or  difplealed,  with  one, 
as  with  another.  If  Godthould  treat  the  virtuous 
and  vicious  alike,  from  whence  could  we  infer 
his  approbation  of  the  former,  or  his  abhorrence 
of  the  latter  ?  If  his  treatment  of  them,  in  his 

government 


chap.  ir. 


government  be  the  fame;  then,  either  his  govern¬ 
ment  fails  of  exprefling  his  proper. character,  or 
his  chrafter  is  not  uniform  and  perfeft.  And,  i£ 
God’s  actions  and  conduct  toward  his  creatures,  do 
not  truly  exprefs  his  character,  his  mind  and  will, 
how  fliall  we  know  that  his  word  does  ?  And  by 
what  methods  can  we  ever  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  divine  character  ? 

Further  3  if  the  treatment  God  gives  his  crea¬ 
tures,  in  his  providence,  the  natural  good  and 
evil  he  confers  upon  them,  be  ultimately  ■  a  c.er-  * 
tain  rule  whereby  to  judge  of^iis  difpofition  to¬ 
wards  them  and  the  views  he  has  of  their  charac¬ 
ters  ;  the  confequence  will  be,  that  we  cannot  infer 
difference  of  character  in  the  lubj efts,  from  the 
■different  treatment  they  receive  at  the  hand  of  God. 

And,  if  this  be  the  cafe,  then  natural  evil  will, 
in  no  cafe  whatever,  be  a  proof  of  God’s  dif- 
pleafure,  anymore  than  natural  good,  a  proof  of 
his  approbation  and  favour.  And  thus  fliall 
we  be  left  perfeftly  in  the  dark,  as  to  the  divine 
character  3  having  no  fure  interpreter  of  the  will 
of  God,  either  in  his  word,  or  in  his  providence. 

But,  if  the  natural  good  and  evil  which  God 
ultimately  confers  on  his  creatures,  be  a  certain 
rule  whereby  we  may  judge  of  the  views  which  he 
entertains  of  their  characters  ;  it  would  be  incon- 
fiftent  to  fuppofe  that  he  fhould  ever  pardon  a 
knner,  without  any  atonement ;  or  without  ta¬ 
king  fome  effeftual  methods,  in  his  providence* 
to  difcover  his  infinite  hatred  of  their  characters 
and  aftions.  If  the  providences  of  God  are  ex- 
preflions  of  his  own  character,.  it  is  inconceivable 
that  he  fhould  not  in  fome  way  or  other,  in 
his  providence,  exprefs  the  views  and  feelings  of 
D  his 


CHAP.  II, 


li 

his  mind  toward  the  characters  and  conduct  of 
fmners.  But,  if  the  natural  good  and  evil  that 
are  ultimately,  and  on  the  whole,  brought  on 
creatures,  are  fure  and  certain  indications  of  the 
divine  difpofttion  toward  them  ;  then,  the  abhor¬ 
rence  in  which  God  holds  the  charaters  of  fin- 
ners,  mud  of  neceiiity  be  exprefled  in  fome  other 
way,  than  in  evil  finally  brought  upon  the  tinner 
himfelf ;  in  order  that  it  may  be  confident  with 
his  falvation  and  wit'll  the  End  of  God  in  the  cre¬ 
ation  of  the  world,  and  the  invariable  rule  of  his 
providence,  whereby  be  expreffes  his  own  charac¬ 
ter  to  the  views  of  his  creatures.  For,  unlefs  this 
fhouid  be  done,  the  pardon  and  falvation  of  a  {in¬ 
ner,  leave  us  to  an  utter  uncertainty  with  refpeft 
to  the  divine  character  itfelf;  whether  God  were 
an  hater  of  iniquity;  and,  of  couri’e,  whether 
a  lover  of  righteoufnefs. 

If  God  fhouid  pardon  the  finner,  without  ta¬ 
king  fome  fufficient  and  effectual  method,  at  the 
fame  time,  to  difeover  his  infinite  hatred  of  ini¬ 
quity;  if  he  fhouid  treat  the  clean  and  the  un¬ 
clean,  the  virtuous  and  vicious,  alike  ;  we  fhouid 
have  no  means  left  whereby  to  determine  that 
he  held  their  characters  in  any  different  eftimati- 
on  ;  and,  either  approved,  or  difapproved  the 
one,  more  than  the  other.  Therefore,  fuch  a 
mode  of  providence  would  be  inconfident 
with  the  End  which  God  had  in  view,  both  in  the 
creation  and ,  government  of  the  world;  which 
was  to  manifeft  his  own  glory,  and  to  difplay  hrs 
Own  infinitely  holy  and  virtuous  character. 

III.  The  government  of  God  could  not  be 
vctpeCdable,  fhouid  he  pardon  the  finner,  without 
dilcovcring,  at  the  fame,  time  his  infinite  hatred 

of 


CHAP.  II.  if 

of  his  fins  ;  and  the  perfect  abhorrence  he  hath 
of  his  character. 

The  fupreme  Being  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  Gc^ 
vernor,  any  further  than  he  is  believed  to  hate 
iniquity.  And  he  cannot  be  believed  to  hate  in* 
i-quity,  when  it  actually  takes  place  among  his 
creatures,  any  further  than  his  hatred  is,  in  fome  ' 
way  or  other,  expreffed.  But,  if  God,  in  his 
providence,  fhould  treat  the  virtuous  and  the  vi¬ 
cious  alike;  making  no  difference  between  the- 
clean  and  the  unclean,  the  holy  and  the  profane;’ 
if:he  fhould  confer  the  fame  good  upon  the  one, 
as  upon  the  other,  taking  no  meafures  in  hi  im¬ 
providence,  to  (how  that  he  regarded  the  charac¬ 
ter  of  the  one,  in  any  different  light  from' that  of 
the  other :  his  government  would,  of  necefhty,- 
lofe  its  force,  and  be  no  reflraint  upon  his  crea¬ 
tures.  *  I  ,  v  ...  S  . 

No  one  can  refpefi  a  government  which  pro¬ 
vides  no  punifhment  for  the  wicked.  And,  what*- 
ever  punifhments  be  provided  by  law,  if  the  exe¬ 
cutive  authority  negledt  the  execution,  the  govern¬ 
ment  muff,  of  neceffity,  fall  info  contempt.  No 
fooner,  therefore,  will  God  ceafe  to  difcover  his 
hatred  of  the  rebellion  and  wickednefs  of  his  crea¬ 
tures,  than  he  lofes  his  authority,  and  renders  his 
benevolence  and  good-will  juftly  fufpicious.  Btitif 
the  treatment  God  gives  his  creatures,  in  the  good 
and  the  evil  he  confers  upon  them,  be  fure  indi¬ 
cations  of  the  views  he  entertains  of  their  characters ; 
for  him  to  pardon  the  finner  without  an  atone¬ 
ment,  or  without  taking  fome  effectual  meafures 
to  difcover  his  hatred  of  his  fins ;  muft  neceffari- 
ly  injure  his  character,  weaken  his  authority,  and 
bring  his  government  into  contempt. 


IV. 


28 


1  CHAP. 


IV!.  For  God  to  pardon  the  Tinner  without 
an  atonement,  would  be  inconfiftent  with  the  true 
fpirit  and  import  of  his  holy  law. 

If  God’s  written  law  exprefteth  his  true  charac¬ 
ter,  and  is  a  genuine  tranfeript  of  his  moral  per¬ 
fection  ;  we  may  conhde  in  it  that  his  whole  go¬ 
vernment  will  be  admimftered  in  perfect  confor¬ 
mity  to  it.  The  government  of  God  can  no  more 
vary  .from  the  true  import  of  the  law,  than  God 
can  vary  from  himfelf.  If  the  moral  law  expref- 
fes  the  true  chara&er  of  God,  his  moral  govern^ 
meat  will  expreis  the  fame,  and  will  therefore 
he  perfectly  of  a  piece  with  the  law. 

Respecting  the  written  moral- law,  we  are  to 
note  the  following  things,  viz. 

1.  That  it  abounds  with  pains  and  penalties, 
and  thofe  too  of  a  very  awful  nature  ;  threat- 
ning.  death,  even.,  eternal .  deftrud ion,  for  every 
tranfgreflion.  It  curfeth  every  .one  who  contmueth 
not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them.f  It  makes  no  provision  for, 
pardon,  and  gives  not  the  lead  hope  of  mercy,  in 
any  C/^fe,  or  pn  any  condition  whatever :  But  moll  ex¬ 
plicitly  and  unconditionally  condemns  every  tranf- 
grcflbr,  without  one  exception,  to  everlairing  mi- 
fery,  That  this  is  the  unequivocal  language  of 
the  law;,  it  is  prefumed  no  one  will  deny.  ‘This  is 
thp  law  which  exprefleth  the  true  character  of 
God  y  \yhich  is  a  tranfeript  of  hiseffential  moral 
peffedh9.11 .  This  is  a  law  which  exprefies  tl ic  m i-nd 
ail'd' will  of  God,  the  very  feelings  of  his  heart. 

2. -  The  penalties,  pr  fafldticns  c£  the;  law,  ex- 
prefsTn -acceding  high  degree  of  righteous  an¬ 
ger  and  indignation,  in  the  divine-  mind,  agaififl 
the  fmner.  They  exprefs  in  words  that  fame  dif- 

pleafure 

Cslai.  3.  ic. 


CHAP.  L 


*9. 


pleafure  which  will  appear  -  m:egiSi&  hi  'the  eter¬ 
nal  torments  of  Tinners.  When  God  gfhia.lr- 
ly  ihfli'fts  eternal  torments  on  tire  finner,  he  will 
no  more  than  apt-  out  the  fame  -chfpofirion,  or 
c_haradc ex,  which  is  expreffed  in;  words  in  the 
threatnings  of  the-  law. 

If  the  threatnings  of  the  law  do  not.  exprefs 
divine  anger,  it  is  irnpofuble  for  words  to  do  it. 
If  thefe  do  not  paint  difpieafure,  it  is  not  in  die 
power  of  language  to  paint  it.  If  die  language  of 
the  divine  law  is  equivocal,  the  providences  of 
God  may  be  equally  fo  :  And  all  thofe  dreadful 
punishments  which  will  hereafter'  be  indifted  on 
his  enemies,  will  not  afford  unequivocal  evidence 
of  the  teal  indignation  of  God.  ,  For  eternal  tor¬ 
ments  indifled  oil  finders,  by  the  great  Governor 
of  the  world,  exprefs  nothing  in  adlion,  hut  what 
the  threatnings’  of  the  law  exprefs  in  words . 

3.  .W2  are  to  note  that  the  principal  impor¬ 
tance  of  the  '-penalty i '  as  well  as'  of  the  precepts  of 
the  law,  confifts  in  its  expreffmg  the  real  cha- 
cafter-  of  God.  Wharf  above  every  thing  elfej 
makes  the  penalties  of  the  law  n e cellar y  and  im¬ 
portant,  is,  that  they  exprefs  the  purity  of  the 
divine  mind,  and  his  unalterable  and  infinite 
averfion  from  all  iniquity.  This  is  the  grand 
confideration  which  makes  punifliments  necelfary 
hi  the  divine  government.  The  mifery  of  a 
creature,  merely  in  itfelf,  anfwers  no  valuable  end : 
And  were  it  not  a  glafs  in  which  God’s  infinite 
hatred  of  fin  is  feen,  it  never  would  be  inflidled* 
As  the  great  End  of  God  in  all  his  other  works, 
is  to  manifeft  his  own  excellent  character ;  fo  it 
is  in  inflating  punifhmehts upon  offenders.  And 
110  further  than  punifiimerits  anlw.er  the  end  of 
exhibiting  a  difpofition  that  really  hath  exiftence 
in  the  divine  mind,  will  they  ever  be  infli&ed. 

Now 


CHAP.  II. 


20' 

Now  if  it  be  true  that  the  law  reprefcnts  the 
Governor  of  the  world  as  being  indeed  angry, 
and  that  in  a  very  high  degree  with  the  finner  ; 
it  is  eafy  to  fee  that  his  government  would  not 
correlpond  with  it,  fhould  he  pardon  the  tranf- 
grefifor  without  exhibiting  at  the  fame  time,  in  a 
knfible  manner,  his  righteous  anger  againft  him 
for  his  fins.  A  method  of  adminifiration  which 
exhibits  anger  againjl  Jinf  is  direCtly  counter  to 
that  which  doth  not  exhibit  anger  againjl  it.  If, 
therefore,  the  divine  law  denounces  curfes  againft 
thq  finner  ;  and  as  far  as  words  can  do  it,  exhibits 
divine  anger  againft  him  5  it  is  manifeft  that  the 
fofgivenefs  of  the  finner,  without  teftifying,  at 
the  fame  time,  in  fome  proper  and  convincing 
way,  an  abhorrence  of  his  character  and  wiclced- 
nefs,-  would  counteract  both  the  letter  and  the' 
manifeft  import  of  the  divine  law  Urilefs  par¬ 
doning  and  fttnijhing ,  doing  good  and  doing  evil 
to  the  creature,  naturally  exprefs  one  and  the 
fame  view  of  his  character  and  deferts and  the 
fame  degree  of  pleafednefs  or  difpleafednefs  with 
him.  It  is  hence  evident,  that  it  could  not-,  have 
been  confident  with  that  character  of  God  which 
is  exhibited  in  the  law,  to  pardon- the  finner  with¬ 
out  an  atonement ;  unlefs  dfregarding  crimes  and 
punijhing  them,  treating  the  fame  perfons,  and 
that  too  under  the  fame  circumftances,  as  friends 
Or  as  enemies ,  uniformly  exhibit  one  and  the  fame 
excellent  character. 

When  God  has  devifed  a  courfe  in  his  pr’ovi-. 
dence,  wherein  he  exhibits  fenfible  conviction  of 
his  hatred  of  iniquity ;  the  pardon  of  the  finner 
cannot  counteract  the  fpirit  of  that  law  which  ex¬ 
hibits  the  fame  difpofition,  in  the  divine  mind, 
towards  the  offender  :  Efpecially  when  the  great 


CHAP.  I:  ai 

end  and  excellency  of  the  law  confifts  in  its  mak¬ 
ing  a  true  exhibition  of  the  divine  moral  cha¬ 
rader  ;  and  this  is  the  great  confideration  which 
makes  it  important  that  .government  fhould  be 
adminidered  in  conformity  to  the  law-  In  what¬ 
ever  cov.rfe  an  uniformity  of  charader  with  what 
originally  appears  in  the  law,  is  preferved  in  ad- 
minidration,  the  ends  of  divine  government  are 
anfwered,  and  the  honour  of  the  lawgiver  fecured. 
■But  unlefs  difpenfmg  rewards  and  punifhments 
indifcriminately  to  th tgood  and  to  the  bad ,  naturally 
exhibits  the  fame  character,  and  pidures  the  fame 
difpofition  which  appears  in  the  promijes  and  in 
the  threat nings  of  the  law  it  mud  of  neceflity  be 
inconfiftent  with  the  law,  to  pardon  the  finner 
without  an  atonement ;  or  without  minidering, 
at  the  fame  time,  eftedual  convidion  of  God’s 
’infinite  hatred  of  his  fins. 

If  it  be  not  necellary  to  the  honour  of  the  di¬ 
vine  charader  and  government,  that  God  fhould 
exhibit  his  wrath  in  fome  fenfible  fruits  againd 
finners,  it  is  not  ne cedar y  that  he  fhould  threa¬ 
ten  it.  Nothing  need  be  threatened  in  the  law, 
which  is  not  necedary  to  be  exhibited  in  govern¬ 
ment.  Uniformity,  of  charader  cannot  require 
that  anger  fhould  be  expreded  in  words ,  where 
there  is  no  neceffity  of  exhibiting  it  in  fruits  in 
government.  For  in  cafes  wherein  it  is  not  necef- 
fary  to  the  honour  of  the  divine  charader,  to 
witnefs  anger  by  fenfible  fruits,  it  cannot  be 
that  anger  fhould  exid  in  the  divine  mind.  And 
to  fuppofe  that  God  threatens  his  creatures  with 
his  anger,  in  cafes  wherein  he  hath  in  reality  no 
anger  againft  them  ;  at  once  denies  the  moral  law 
to  be  an  expreldon  of  the  mind  and  will  of  God — 
a  tranfcript  of  his  moral  perfedion.  But  it  is 

obvious, 


*  *1 


CHAP.  IT. 


obvious,  at  fir  it  vie’w,  that  the  z&  of  pardoning, 
that  is,  faring  a  perfon,  and  receiving  him  to 
the  enjoyment  of  the  ever  I  ailing  favour  of  God, 
doth  not  in  itfelf  difcover  any  anger  or  wrath  : 
Confequentiy,  confidently  with  the  moral  law, 
this  never  can  be  done  without  God’s  exhibiting 
bis  anger  again H  the  {Inner,  in  {Inflate  fruits,  in 
fame  other  way. 

Further  ;  for  God  to  fave  Tinners  of  mankind 
without  an  atonement,  would  iuppofe  the  law 
and  the  gsjpel  to  fpeak  a  different  language,  and 
exhibit  characters  exceedingly  diverfe,  one  from 
the  other.  It  would  make  the  former  breathe 
nothing  but  indignation,  where  the  latter  fpeaks 
nothing  hut  peace,  comfort  and  good.  And 
therefore,  on  this  fuppofition,  the  goipel,  in  dead 
of  eflablifhing,  would  make  void  the  law. 

It  hence  appears  to  be  as-  eiTential  to  the  ho- 
UO-ur  of  the  divine  government,  and. to  an  unifor¬ 
mity  of  eh  reader  in  God,  that  he  fhould  exhibit 
anger  in  ienflbje  fruits  againff  fin,  in  every  in- 
ftance  wherein.  it  takes  place ;  as  that,  in  fenfiblc. 
fruits,  he  lliould  exhibit  his  approbation  of  righte- 
oufaefs.  God  hath  as  real  difpleafure  again  ft  Tin¬ 
ners,  as  he  hath. approbation  of  the  righteous  :  The 
former  is  as  e  Ten  tial  to  the  perfection  and  glory 
of  the  divine  character,  as  the  latter.  That  the 
■government  of  God,  therefore,  may  exprefs  his  re¬ 
al  character,,  and  that,  too,  in  the  fame  point  of 
light  in  which  it  is  exhibited  in  the  law;  it  is  as 
neceilknr  that  he  fiiould  exprefs  anger  againft  the 
firmer,  in  his-  adminiftration  of  government,  as 
approbation  of  the  righteous. 

Therefore  is  it  neeeffary,  in  order  to  a  con¬ 
fident  cxercife  of  mercy,  that  the  honour  of  the 

law 


CHAP.  II. 


23 


law  Ihould  be  maintained  :  and  that  the  govern¬ 
ment  of  God,  in  every  inftance,  Ihould  be  ex- 
preffive  of  the  fame  difpofition  which  the  law,  ta¬ 
ken  in  all  its  parts,  naturally  exhibits.  It  is  necef- 
fary  that  the  fupreme  Ruler  of  the  univerfe  fhould 
appear,  in  his  adminiflration,  equally  to  refpedt 
the  penal  as  the  preceptive  putts  of  his  law;  and, 
pay  as  much  regard  to  the  threatnings  of  punifh- 
merif ,  as  to  the  promifes  of  reward.  And  in  what¬ 
ever  way  this  is  done,  in  God’s  condudt  toward 
his  creatures,  the  ends  of  divine  government  are 
anfwered  ;  and,  all  the  good  effected  which  na¬ 
turally  flow  from  a  difplay  of  his  true  and  proper 
character. 

The  penalties  of  the  law,  we  are  to  remember, 
exp  refs  the'  difpleafure  of  the  lawgiver  in  the  pain 
and  fujfermgs  of  the  tranfgrsjfor.  But  however 
clofely  and  infeparably  thefe  two  objedts  may  be 
connedted  together  ;  they  are  yet  really  two,  and 
capable  of  an  entirely  diftindt  and  feparate  confl- 
deration.  And,  as  thefe  objedts  are  two ,  they 
are  in  themfelves  confidered,  of  very  different 
importance  ;  and  of  courfe,  the  penalties  of  the 
law  mull  be  of  infinitely  greater  importance  as 
being  expreffive  of  God’s  righteous  difpleafure  a - 
gainft  fin>  than  as  bringing  pain  and  torment  on 
the  /inner.  Accordingly,  the  great  ends  of 
di  vine  government,  which  are  to  make  a  true 
and  proper  exhibition  of  the  divine  charadter, 
cannot  be  anfwered,  whatever  be  the  fate  of  the 
finner,  without  convincing  teftimonies  to  the 
world,  of  God’s  infinite  purity  and  hatred  of  ini¬ 
quity.  The  clearer  views  we  have  of  the  importance 
of  the  divine  charadter,  and  of  the  original  deflgns 
of  the  fupreme  Being  in  the  creation  of  the  world ; 
the  more  fenfibly  fhall  we  difeern  the  neceflity  of 
an  atonement,  in  order  to  the  exercife  of  pardon- 
7  E  ing 


24 


CHAP.  II. 


ing  mercy  •:  An^,  the  more  clearly  fhall  we  dif- 
cover  the  jnconfiftency  of  forgivenefs  with  the  true 
fpirit  and  import  of  the  daw,  .unlels  full  conviction 
be  exhibited,  in  the  moral  government  of  God, 
oi  his  infinite  hatred  of  iniquity. 

From  this  view  of  the  necefiity  of  an  atone¬ 
ment,  in  order  to  a  confident  exercife  of  mercv, 
the  following  obfervations  naturally  flow,  viz. 

t.  That  the  honour  of  the  divine  law,  agree¬ 
ably  to  the  true  tpirit  and  import  of  it,  is  fully 
preferved  in  the  government  of  God,  when  his 
difpleafure  againft  fin  is  made  to  appear,  to  equal 
advantage,  as  it  doth  in  the  execution  of  the  pe¬ 
nalties  of  the  law;  in  'whatever  way  it  be  done. 
And  it  appears,  on  the  other  hand,  that  whatever 
method  of  adminiftratibn  would  throw  a  veil  o- 
ver  God’s  hatred  of  iniquity,  and  render  it  more 
obfeure  to  the  views  of  creatures  than  it  would  be 
in  the  execution  of  its  penalties  ;  would  difho- 
nour  the  law'  itfelf ;  and  naturally  tend  to  bring 
if  into  contempt.  The  law  is  really  honoured, 
when  that  charadcr  of  God  which  is  exhibitted  in 
the  various  parrs  of  it,  is  fupported  and  maintain¬ 
ed  in  his  government.  Therefore,  the  penalty 
of  the  law  is1  really  anfwered,  and  its  demands 
fatrsfied,  whenever  God’s  hatred  of  iniquity  is  as 
clearly  exhibited  in  ads  of  government,  as  it  is 
expreired  in  the  language  of  the  law,  in  whatever 
way  this  be  dct/c.  The  law  of  God  is  fatisfied  and 
its  penalties  anfwered  in  the  final  condemnation  ofi 
th'e  fimier,  only  becaufe  the  true  character  of  God 
is 'herein  vifibly  manifelled,'  and  his  juft  difplc-a- 
lure  againft  .iniquity  clearly  dil'covered  :  At  leaft, 
this  is  the  moft  important  and  valuable  end  that 
.  is  anfwered  by  the  Tinner’s  final  deftrudion,  Were 
not  this  the  cafe,  the  execution  of  punitive  juftice 
v,rould  not  be  to  the  glory  of  God  ;  becaufe  it  would 

not 


CHAP.  II.  25 

not  ferve  to  difplay  the  true  beauties  of  his  infi¬ 
nitely  excellent  and  glorious  character. 

That  the  moral  character  of  God  ftiould  be 
truly  delineated  in  his  government,  is  what  is  of 
primary  and  principal  importance; ■  becaufej  with 
this  is  certainly  connedted  the  order,  the  har¬ 
mony,  and  the  greateft  good,  of  the  umvcrfe. 
The  charadler  of  God  being  infinitely  excellent 
and  in  itfelf  mold  perfedtly  harmonious ;  when  it  -is 
truly  delineated  in  his  government,  mud  of necef- 
fity  be  productive  of  the  greateft  good  and  har¬ 
mony  among  his  creatures.  To  manifeft  the  re¬ 
al  excellencies  of  the  divine  character,  therefore, 
it  was  that  the  law  was  originally  given ;  and,  for 
the  fame  end  was  it  eftabli  filed-  by  fuch  awful 
fandlions.  The  honour  of  the  law  of  courfe  is 
evidently  maintained,  and  the  ends  of  govern¬ 
ment  anfwered,  when  that  charadler,  with  which 
the  fupreme  Ruler  invefts  himfelf  in  the  various 
parts  of  his  law,  is  exhibited  and  fupported  in 
adminiftration.  So  that  whenever  God’s  juft  and 
real  difpleafure  againft  fin,  is  exhibited  in  fome 
other  way,  to  equal  advantage  as  it  would  be  in 
the  final  deftrudlion  of  the  finner  ;  atonement  is 
then  made  for  his  fins,  and  a  door  opened  for 
the  exercife  of  pardoning  mercy. 

1.  It  would  be  as  inconfiftent  with  the  de~ 
fign  of  God,  in  the  government  of  the  world,  to 
fuffer  the  fins  of  his  creatures  to  pafs  unnoticed, 
as  their  virtue  to  go  unrewarded.  The  end  of 
God  in  his  moral  government,'  as  much  requires 
that  he  Ihould  teftify  his  hatred  of  iniquity,  as  his 
love  of  holinefs.  And  if  the  moral  government 
of  God  be  defigned  truly  to  delineate  his  charac¬ 
ter;  if  we  are  here  to  expedt  a  fenfible  difcovery 
of  the  feelings,  the  difpofition,  of  his  own  infi¬ 
nite  mind,  toward  the  feveral  chandlers  of  his 

ez  creatures 


26  CHAP,  11 

creatures  ;  it  muft  appear,  every  way,  as  inconfift- 
ent  for  God  to  neglebt  exprefllng  his  righteous 
difpleafure  againft  vice-,  as  his  approbation  of 
virtue:  God’s  hatred  of  the  former,  is  as  real 
and  immutable,  as  his  love  of  the  latter  :  That 
mode  of  adminifcration,  therefore,  toward  fm- 
ners,  which  would  not  fenlibly  delineate  and  ex- 
prefs  the  former,  would  no  more  comport  with 
the  character  and  defigns  of  God,  than  that  which 
fncuid  leave  the  latter  undifcovered. 

If  thefe  things  are  fo,  it  will  be  as  mconftft- 
ent  with  the  attributes  of  God,  and  the  great  end 
which  he  hath  in  view  in  the  government  of  the 
world,  to  fuffer  one  fin  to  pal's  without  exprefling, 
in  fome  convincing  manner  his  hatred  of  it ;  as  to 
fuffer  virtue  to  go  unrewarded.  Not  only  fo,  but  it 
will,  on  thefe  principles,  be  effential  to  the  divine 
glory,  that  the  moral  government  of  God  fhould 
be  as  full  and fenfihle  an  expreffion  of  his  abhorrence, 
of  every  impure  char  after  among  his  creatures,  as 
of  his  approbation  of  the  condubt  of  all  fuch  as 
never  rebelled  againft  him.  If  the  moral  go¬ 
vernment  of  God  fhould  not  be  adminiftered  in 
fuch  a  manner  as  fenfibly  to  exprefs  this  to  the 
views  of  his  creatures;  it  would  not  exhibit  his 
true  cha.rafter ,  the  real  and  infinitely  excellent 
difpofition  of  his  own  holy  mind. 

3.  It  appears  from  what  hath  been  already  ob- 
ferv.ed,  that  the  atonement  had  a  more  immediate 
and.  direbt  relation  to  the  penal  part  of  the  divine 
law. 

It  is  unquefticnably  true  that  Chrift'was  fet 
forth  to  be  a  propitiation  to  declare  God’s  righte- 
cufnefs  ;  and  the  great  ends  of  righteoufnefs  required 
that  there  fhould  be  an  atonement  for  fin,  in  or¬ 
der  to  prepare  the  way  for  its  rCmifllon.  But  it 


CHAP.  XL 


27 


is  to  be  remembered,  it  was  the  righteou  finds  of 
God  as  it  related  to  the  execution  of  threatened 
and  deferved  pumfhrnent,  that  needed  to  be  de¬ 
clared,  in  order  to  the  exercife  of  pardoning  mer¬ 
cy  x  and  not  as  it  related  to  the  beftowment  of 
rewards  : — Righteoulnefs,  as  it  relpefted  render¬ 
ing  vengeance  to  enemies  ;  not  favour  and  pro¬ 
tection  to  friends.  God’s  favour  for  the  righte¬ 
ous,  and  his  approbation:  of  their  chambers, 
would  not  have  been  rendered  fufpicious  by  a  to¬ 
tal  negledt  to  execute  punitive  juft  ice  ; — unlefs, 
indeed}  his  benevolent  regards  to  their  belt  In- 
t  ere  ft,  and  his  diflinguifoing  approbation  of  their 
characters,  fhould  become  fufpicious,  by  his  ne- 
gleCt  to  avenge  them  on  their  adverfaries.  But 
the  very  fuppofition  of  a  poftibiiity  that  God’s 
benevolent  regards  to  the  righteous,  Ihould  be 
rendered  doubtful  by  his  negleCting  to  punifh  the1 
wicked,  ftrongly  implies  that  it  was  the  righte- 
Gufnefs  of  God  as  it  relates  to  the  execution  of  pun- 
ijhmsnt  that  needed  to  be  declared y  in  order  to  the 
pardon  of  the  finner. 

Had  vengeance  againft  God’s  enemies  never 
been  displayed  ;  every  filefiing  which  obedience, 
could  have  merited,  and  which  in  that  cafe  could; 
have  been  enjoyed,  might  neverthelefs  be  bellow¬ 
ed.  So  that  the  Deity  cbuld  not  ju fifty  have  been 
impeached  as  being  deficient  in  his  regards  to  the 
righteous ,  had  he  pardoned  fin  without  an  atone-' 
ment :  For  as  far  as  righteoufnefs  in  a  governor 
relates  to  approving’  and  rewarding  the  obedient  ; 
God  might  neverthelefs  have  appeared  perfeftly 
juft  and  righteous.  . 

IJ.L 

But  with  refped  to  right eoufnejs  as  it  relates  to f 
the  execution  of  deferved  puniihment,  the  cafe  is; 
far  otherwife.  In  this  regards  when  fin  had  actu¬ 
ally 


CHAP.  II. 


ally  taken  place,  the  divine  righteoufnefs  needed 
honour  and  vindication  ;  and  neceffarily  would 
need  them,  until  it  were  in  feme  fenfible  manner 
exhibited  to  the  views  of  creatures.  For  the  cha¬ 
racter-  of  God  could  not  fail  of  being  reproached, 
as  deficient  both  in  his  regards  to  his  own  autho¬ 
rity,  and  in  making  a  diftin&ion  between  the 
holy  and  the  unclean,  had  he  pardoned  without 
a  vifible  exhibition  of  his  hatred  of  the  iniquity 
cf  the  firmer.  And  even  the  obedient  part  Of  the 
univerfe  had  no  fmai'l  intereft  in  a  difplay  of 
righteoufnefs  in  this  regard ;  as  it  could  not  fail 
or  contributing  to  their  more  fenfible  fecurity  un¬ 
der  the  government  of  God,  and  their  greater 
and  more  refpeCtful  reverence  of  his  character. 

So  that  whatever  part  of  the  univerfe  were  con¬ 
cerned  in  the  difplays  of  divine  righteoufnefs,  in 
order  to  the  remiffion  of  fin  ;  whether  it  were  God 
himfelf,  and  hi^  own  infinitely  excellent  charac¬ 
ter  ;  or  the  obedient  and  virtuous  part  of  creati¬ 
on  ;  Fill  what  more  immediately  and  efpecially 
concerned  both,  was,  that  righteoufnefs  as  it  more 
directly  related  to  the  penalties  and  f antiions  of  the 
law,  fhould  be  exhibited  and  made  ienfibly  to 
appear. 

If  it  fhould  be  urged  that  the  right eoufnefs  of 
God  in  the  molt  large  and  general  fenfe  of  the 
term,  might  have  been  fufficien.tly  difplayed  by 
fome  lively  exhibition  of  his  regards  to  the  pre¬ 
ceptive  parts  of  the  law  becaule  the  penal  only 
reprefent  God’s  love  of  righteoufnefs  in  general ; 
Fill  this  would  be  no  argument  that  the  atone¬ 
ment  did  not  more  immediately  refpeCt  the  penal 
part  of  the  divine  law.  For  admitting  the  ulti¬ 
mate  ufe  of  penalties  to  be  no  more  than  to  ex- 
prefs  God’s  love  of  righteouihefs  in  general,  or 

even 


CHAP.  II. 


29 


even  his  love  of  obedience  ;  ftill  they  cannot  do 
this,  any  further  than  they  are  regarded  and  have 
refpecft  paid  to  them  in  the  adminiftration  of  go¬ 
vernment.  If  the  penalties  of  the  law  ihould  not 
be  regarded  in  the  government  of  God,  they 
could  not  ferve  to  illuftrate  his  love  of  obedience. 
For  the  righteoufnefs  of  God,  as  it  refpedts  the 
precepts  of  the  law,  is  as  evidently  difcernible  in 
his  regards  to  the  penalties  ;  as  his  righteoufnefs 
relative  to  the  penalties  is  in  his  regards  to  the 
precepts.  The  Governor  of  the  world  as  flrongly 
and  fenfibly  manifefts  his  love  of  obedience  by 
punifhing  wickednefs ,  as  his  hatred  of  iniquity  by 
rewarding  virtue.  And  fince  in  the  divine  view 
the  precepts  and  the  penalties  of  the  law  are  both 
neceffary  in  order  to  a  clear  and  full  aifcovery  of 
the  character  and  glory  of  God ;  it  is  neceffary 
that  both  be  equally  regarded  in  the  adminiftrati¬ 
on  of  government.  So  that  in  whatever  light  we 
view  the  matter,  it  muft  appear  of  equal  impor¬ 
tance  that  God  fhould  manifeft  his  refpetfts  to  the 
penalties  of  the  law  by  a  di/play  of  anger  ;  is  to  the 
precepts  by  approbation.  And  fince  both  parts  of 
the  lav/  are  effential  to  its  authority,  and  to  the 
glory  and  honour  of  its  giver;  it  is  alio  neceffary 
that  the  government  of  God  fhould  appear  to  cor¬ 
respond  with  both  ;  and  equally  neceffary  that  he 
fhould  difplay  vengeance  as  beftow  rewards. 
Therefore  is  it  manifeft  that  the  divine  righteouf¬ 
nefs,  particularly  as  it  relates  to  the  execution  of 
vengeance,  was  what  peculiarly  needed  to  be  ho¬ 
noured,  in  order  to  a  confiftent  and  juftifiable 
exercife  of  mercy  toward  finners. 

4.  As  far  as  God’s  love  of  righteoufnefs  and  ha¬ 
tred  of  iniquity  can  be  Separately  viewed  and  diftin- 
guifhed  from  each  other  ;  the  great  end  of  the 

death 


jo  chap.  rr. 

death  of  Chriff  was  to  exhibit  the  latter ,  not  the 
former.  '■  i 

«r 

.  The  diipofidoa  of  the  divine  mind  is  perfectly 
uniform  and  harmonious.  There  is  nothing  in 
God,  or  in  the  difpofition  of  his  mind,  but  bene¬ 
volence  and  love.  Yet  general  goodnefs  operates 
in  a  different  manner  toward  different  objedts  ; 
and  obtains  different  epithets,  according  to  thefe 
feverallv  different  operations.  Should  we,  for 
Inffcar.ee,  conceive  no  different  ideas  of  divine 
jujike  from  thole  which  we  entertain  of  divine 
mercy ;  it  is  evident  we  fhould  have  no  proper 
and  adequate  conceptions  of  either.  Or  fhould 
we  form  no  different  ideas  or  God’s  love  of  virtue , 
and  of  hrs  hatred  of  vice  ;  it, is  manifeff  that  wre 
fhould  view;  him.  as  being  indifferent  to  virtue  and 
vice.  Yet  the  very  different  ways  in  which 
God’s  lave  of  virtue  and  his  hatred  of  vice  exprefs 
themfelves  in  fruits  *  and  the  extremely  different 
effedfcs  they  produce  in  the  iubjedls  on  whom  they 
are  feverally  difplayed,  naturally  lead  us  to  view 
them  as,  in  fome  refpeds,  exceedingly  different 
from  each  other :  And  that  however  obvioufly 
they  discover,  in-  their  ieveral  operations,  beauti¬ 
ful  harmony  and  uniformity  in  the  difpofition  of 
the  divine  mind. 

Seeing  therefore  the  exiftence  of  moral  evil 
naturally  furnifhed  occafion  for  a  difplay  of  God’s 
hatred  of  iniquity \  and  evidently  called  for  it ;  this 
’wouidJead  us  to  view  the  death  of  Chrift  as  be¬ 
ing  deftgned  more  immediately  and  diredlly  to 
make  a  vifible  difeovery  of  the  anger  of  God 
againft  fin. 

Th  erefore,  we  may  reafonably  fuppofe,  it  is 
that  the  people  of  Chriff  are  i'o  often  fpoken  of  as 
being  redeemed  by  his  blood  as  though  his  life 

went 


CHAP.  II, 


3* 


went  for  theirs.  The  fcriptures  reprefent  the 
church  of  God  as  being  purchafed  with  his  own 
blood  1 — redeemed  through  the  blood  of  Chrifi  * — -* 
made  nigh  by  his  bloody  &c.  So  the  blood  of  his 
crofs  is  that  by  which  he  is  faid  to  make  -peace .* 
And  the  church  above  is  reprefented  as  celebra¬ 
ting  Chrift  for  his  worthinefs  to  open  the  book, 
and  difclofe  the  future  ftate  of  the  church  and 
world,  becaufe  he  was  (lain  and  had  redeemed 
her  to  God  by  his  blood . 5  In  this  view  of  the 
matter  the  Apoftle  aiferts  that  without  Jhedding  of 
blood  there  is  no  remiffion.6  The  reafon  why  fo 
much  efficacy  is  aferibed  to  blood  evidently  is,  that 
it  is  the  life.7  And  therefore  it  is  that  the  blood 
makes  atonement.8 

Taking  away  the  life  is  the  moft  (hong  and 
fenfibie  expreffidn  of  difpleafurc  that  is  ever  vifi- 
ble  to  us.  That  difpleafure  which  puts  a  period 
to  the  life,  we  view  as  of  the  higheft  kind. 
Therefore  doth  the  death  of  Chrift  more  diredlly 
exhibit  the  anger  of  God  than  his  love  :  As  that 
affe&ion  of  the  divine  mind  which  is  termed  anger 
dpecially  needed  to  be  exhibited  in  order  to  a 
proper  exercife  of  mercy.  Virtue  and  goodnefs 
in  the  creature,  furniffi  occafion  for  the  exercife: 
and  manifeftadon  of  complacency  and  love  j 
but  vice  for  the  difplay  of  anger.  And  had  the 
occafton  for  the  latter  been  omitted  by  the  great 
Governor  of  the  world,  when  rebellion  had  a£tu- 
ally  taken  place,  we  cannot  conceive  how  it 
would  have  been  for  the  glory  of  God  to  pardon 
the  finner,  or  how  he  could  have  been  juft  in 
juftifying  the  ungodly. 

F  ...v.  *■ 

1  AilSj  20.  28.  1  Epbef.  1.  7.  3  chap.  2.13,  4  Coloffians,- 

|.  20.  s  Rev.  5.  9.  6  Heb.  9.  22.  7  Gen ,  9,  4,  *  Levity 

17.  11, 


CHAP.  II. 


32 

.  5.  It  appears  from  the  nature  of  God’s  defigrr 
in  creation,  and  from  the  ground  on  which  an 
atonement  became  neceffary,  that  the  great  end 
of  the.  coming  and  death  of  Chrift  was  not  to  give 
evidence  of  the  equity  and  righteoufnefs  of  the 
moral  law>  but  rather  to  exhibit  in  its  proper  co¬ 
lours,  the  difpofition  of  the  divine  mind  toward 
us  for  breaking  it.  The  rightecvfnefs  of  the  law , 
'  merely  as  a  rule,  and  the  dy ■pcf.it on  cf  the  divine 
mind  toward  creatures  who  violate  it ;  are  diftinei 
objeffs  -which  are  to  be  feparately  confidered. 
The  objedis  are  as  perfectly  different  from  each 
other,  as  the  divine  Mind  it f elf  and  any  of  thole 
media  or  .objedts. through  which  it  is  feen.  And 
in  regard  of  thefe  two  different  objects,  when 
viewed  in  a  feparate  light,  it  is  to  be  remembered 
that,  in  real  importance,  the  former  is  infinitely 
exceeded  fcy  the  tatter.  However  truly,  therefore, 
a  teftimonv  to  the  righteoufnefs  of  God’s  law  as 
a  rule  cf  life,  might  be  contained  in  the  defign 
of  the  coming  and  death  of  Chrift  ;  a  difeovery 
of  die  divine  difpofition  toward  men  for  violating 
it,  was  what,  neverthelefs,  made  an  infinitely 
greater  part  of  tire  defign  of  Chrilt’s  work  than 
the  other.  -  *  . 

-.-To  fuppole  ■  that'  the  principal  defign  of  the 
coming  of  Chrift,  was  to  exhibit  evidence  to  the 
confidences  of  men,  of  tlte  righteoufnefs  and  equi¬ 
ty  of  the  divine  law,  either,  as  a  rule  of  govern¬ 
ment  for  God,  or  of  condujft  for  us  ;  for  aught 
W  can  fee,  would  be  rather  a  reproach,.  than  an 
honour  to  the  divine  charatfter.  For  this  would 
fuppofe  that  the  law  of  God,  though  originally 
infgribed  in  the  fulleft  manner  that  it  could  be  on 
the  hearts  of  men,  was  neverthelefs  of  fuch  a  na¬ 
ture  and  extent  that  the  creature  could  fee  neither 
the  propriety  of  God  s  governing  by  it,  nor  the 

reafon 


CHAP.  II; 


ii 

reafon  of  his  own  obligation  to  obey  it :  And 
therefore,  that  the  law  of  God  was  not  originally 
fitted  to  difc over  the  true  beauties  of  the  diviner 
character.  ’ 

No  rule  cr  law  can  be  good,  which  is  either. 
above  the-  natural  abilities  and  power,  or  not 
fuited  to  the  fituation  .and  circumftances  of  the 
creatures  who  are  placed  under  it.  Such  a  law- 
could  not  manifeft  the  excellency  of  the  Creator 
to  the  view  of  the  creature.  For  thefe  reafons  it 
mull  be  unfuitable,  both  as  a  rule  of  government 
for  the  former  and  of  conduct  for  the  latter. 
Both  thefe  confiderations  lead  us  to  conclude  that 
no  defeats  of  this  kind  could  be  originally  attribu¬ 
ted  to  the  divine  law.  But  if  the  moral  lav/  is  in 
its  own  nature  fit  to  be  regarded  by  the  fupreme 
Being  as  a  rule  of  government  over  his  creatures  j 
and  by  men  as  a  rule  of  their  own  conduct  ;  and 
in  this  way  calculated  to  exhibit  to  the  views  of 
creatures  the  real  excellencies  of  the  divine  cha- 
rafter  ;  it  mull  be  unqueftionably  true  that  man, 
in  his  original  ftate,  was  fully  capable  of  feeing 
the  law  to  be  wholly  equitable  and  righteous.. 
And  if  men  were  originally  capable  of  this,  it 
now  requires,  and  never  did,  or  will,  require  any. 
thing  more  than  candour  of  mind,  to  enable  any 
one  to  difcover  it. 

These  things  being  fo,  it  is  eafy  to  fee  that 
eonvi&ion  of  the  righteoufnefs  of  the  law  might 
be  wrought  in  the  conferences  of  men,  in  a  way' 
infinitely  lefs  expeniive  than  by  the  coming  and 
death  of  the  Son  of  God  :  Yea,  were  there  .no 
other  ground  of  convidVion  in  the  cafe,  this  re¬ 
markable  event  v/ould  be  far  from  affording  it. 
For  fo  long  as  we  judge  a  rule  itfeif  to  be  bad ,  no 

conduct 


J4 


CHAP.  IT. 


zcndu £1  of  any  one  formed  upon  if,  will  make  u. 
believe  it  to  be  good.  While  we  difpute  the  righ¬ 
teoufnefs  of  the  rule  given,  we  difpute  the  righ- 
teoufnefs  of  him  who  gave  it.  And  in  that  cafe, 
his  obeying  it  himt elf  will  no  more  convince  us  of 
its  equity,  than  his  adminiftring  government  over 
us  in  conformity  to  it.  We  may  iafely  conclude, 
therefore,  that  to  minifter  convidtion  to  the 
eonfciences  of  men,  of  the  righteoufnefs  of  the 
moral  law  as  a  rule ,  was  not  the  principal  objedt 
in  view,  in  the  coming  and  work  of  Chrift. 

There  needed  no  fuch  evidence  as  the  obedi¬ 
ence  and  death  of  Chrift,  of  the  righteoufnefs  of 
the  moral  law,  either  as  a  rule  of  government  for 
God,  or  of  condudt  for  his  creatures.  But  when 
men  had  violated  the  law,  there  needed  vifible  de- 
monftration  of  the  exiftence  of  that  difpleafure  in 
the  divine  mind,  with  which  the  finner  is  threaten¬ 
ed,  in  order  to  convince  the  creature  that  the  law 
is  indeed  a  tranfeript  of  the  divine  perfection  j 
and  that  it  truly  expreffeth  the  mind  and  will  of 
God.  Otherwife  the  exercife  of  pardoning  mer¬ 
cy  would  render  it  doubtful  whether  the  moral 
law  exprefied  the  divine  character,  and  is  really 
in  every  -part  equitable,  even  in  the  view  of  God. 
The  exercife  of  mercy,  therefore,  without  a  fen- 
fible  exhibition  of  that  divine  wrath  which  is 
threatened  in  the  law,  would  give  abundant  occa- 
Jion  to  call  in  queftion  the  perfeCt  real  conformi¬ 
ty  of  the  divine  will,  to  that  moral  law  which  he 
has  given  us.  This  confequently  could  in  no 
wife  be  for  the  glory  of  God.  Once  more, 

6.  It  appears  from  the  preceding  obfervations 
that  to  revive  natural  religion,  the  knowledge  of 
which  was  nearly  eradicaied  from  the  human 
mind,  was  far  from  being  the  principal  objeft  of 
the  coming  and  death  of  Chrift. 

To 


CHAP.  II. 


35 


To  infcribe  the  original  law  of  our  nature  on 
the  hearts  of  men,  is  every  where  in  fcripture  re-« 
prefented  as  a  work  of  God’s  hyiy  Spirit.  And 
this  holy  Spirit,  in  thefe  operations  on  the  minds 
of  men,  we  are  taught  to  believe,  proceeds  from 
the  Father  and  the  Son  and  is  fent  by  the  Father 
the  name  of  the  Son.*  It  is  a  great  and  ineftima- 
ble  favour  to  have  the  holy  Spirit  fent  inro  the 
hearts  of  men,  to  teach  them  and  lead  them  into 
the  truth,  and  revive  thole  original  notices  of 
God  and  duty,  which  have  been  nearly  obliterated 
from  the  human  mind,  by  the  fa]!.  And  if  fuch 
a  favour  as  this  could  have  been  bellowed  other- 
wife  than  as  the  fruit  of  the  atonement ;  every  other 
blelBng  which  is  promifed  in  the  gofpel,  might 
with  equal  propriety  ;  and  lb  finners  of  mankind 
might  have  been  faved  without  an  atonement. 
Had  there  been  no  necefflty  that  fomething  fhould 
be  previouQy  done  to  witnefs  God’s  irreconcilea- 
ble  averfion  from  fin,  before  fuch  a  favour  could 
be  bellowed ;  the  holy  Spirit  might  have  been 
fent  in  his  enlightening  and  fanftifying  operati¬ 
ons  :  And  of  courfe,  all  the  valuable  ends  which 
are  now  actually  anfwered  by  the  work  of  Chrift  and 
the  cortf equent  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  might  have  been 
fully  accomplished  without  his  coming  and  death. 
Tea,  all  thefe  valuable  ends  might  have  been 
brought  about  to  much  better  advantage,  and  in 
a  way  much  more  to  the  glory  of  the  divine  cha¬ 
racter  without  than  by  the  death  of  Chrift  :  Be- 
caufe  that  way  of  bringing  about  any  good  which 
is  leaft  expenfive  or  attended  with  the  leaft  evil  and 
fuffering  ;  is  both  moft  advantageous  to  the  crea¬ 
ture,  and  honourable  to  the  Creator . 

That  the  great  end  of  the  coming  and  death 
of  Chrift  was  to  revive  the  knowledge  of  natural 

religion 

•  See  John  14,  15,  16,  i2,  23,  2 6|  and,  15.  26. 


36- 


CHAP.  II. 

religion  among  men,  is  a  fuppofmon  which,  how¬ 
ever  it  may  connect  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
good  of  the  creature,  yet  evidently  throws  the 
greater  weight  into  the.fcale  of  human  happi- 
nefs :  and  is  therefore  inconfiftent  with  what  hath 
been  fhown  to  be  the  End  of  God  in  the  creati¬ 
on  of  the  world.-  For  it  reprefents  the  recove¬ 
ry  of  linnets  as  being  in  itjelf  an  object  of 
greater  importance,  than  a  vindication  of  the  in¬ 
jured  honour  of  God:  and  implies,  that,  to  fup- 
port  the  dignity  of  the  divine  character  as  the 
fupreme  Ruler  of  the  Univerfe,  was  a  matter  of 
inferior  confideration. 

That  the  government  of  God  may  appear 
refpedtabie,  and  worthy  the  high  dignity  of  his 
charader,  it  is  not  only  neceflary  that  the  great 
Jaws  of  his  kingdom  be  perfectly  equitable  and 
juft  ;  but  that  the  difpofition,  the  fpirit,  of  the 
fupreme  Governor  appear  perfectly  to  harmonize 
with  them.  Otherwife  the  government  of  God 
can  no  more  be  either  honourable  and  glorious  to 
himfelf,  orfafe  and  happy  to  his  creatures,  than 
the  heft  civil  lav/s  and  conftitution  can,  to  a  com¬ 
munity,  when  they  are  negle&ed  and  overlooked 
by  the  executive  authority. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  fupport  the  dignity  of 
the  divine  character  as  the  fupreme  Governor  of 
the  world,  it  is  exceedingly  neceftary  that  plenary 
evidence  be  exhibited  to  the  univerfe,  of  a  perfed 
conformity  of  the  divine  Mind  to  the  whole  cf  the 
moral  law,  the  ‘penal  as  well  as  the  preceptive 
parts  of  it.  This,  however,  could  not  be  done, 
nor  this  difpofition  be  delineated  in  the  divine' go- 
venment ,  were  mercy  exercifed  toward  iinners  ; 
unlefs  forne  peculiar  methods  had  been  adopted  in 

divine 


CHAP.  in. 


37 


divine  providence,  whereby  God  might  fenfibly 
exhibit  his  infinite  hatred  of  iniquity  :  And  that 
too  as  a  necefiaryftep  toward  the  exercife  of  par¬ 
doning  mercy. 

C  H  A  P  T  E  R  III. 

An  inquiry  into  the  deftgn  'and  import,  cf  the  bloody 
Jacrifices  required  under  the  Mojaic  djpenfiation . 

IT  is  evident  that  jacrifices  were  of  much  earlier 
date  than  the  Mofaic  lav/.  -There  is  great 
reafon  to  fuppofe  that  they  were  inftituted  by  God 
himfelf,  immediately  after  the  fall^on  his  giving 
the  gracious  promife  that  the  feed  of  the  woman 
(hould  bruife  the  ferpent’s  head.  Thefe  feveral 
things  concur  to  lead  us  to  fuppofe  that  they  were 
originally  of  divine  inftitution,  viz. 

That  facrifices  were  in  actual  ufe,  from  the 
earlieft  ages  after  the  fall.  We  read  that  God 
made  coats  of  fkins,  and  cloathed  Adam  and 
Eve,*  who  had  made  themfelves  naked  by  their 
fin.  Now  there  is  great  reafon  to  fuppofe  that 
thefe  fkins  were  fkins  of  beafts  which  were  offered 
in  facrifice  to  God  :  And  that  as  God  intimated 
defigns  of  mercy  through  Chrift,  to  the  feed  of  the 
woman,  he  alfo  inftituted  Jacrifices  as  a  type  of 
the  great  facrifice  which  was,  once  for  all,  offer¬ 
ed  up  to  God  by  Chrift  ;  and  by  which  fmners 
have  accefs  to  God.  Accordingly  we  find  that, 
very  foon,  Abel  brought  of  the  firfilings  of  his 
$ock,  and  of  the  fiat  thereof,!  and  offered  unto 
God.  As  early  alfo  as  the  times  of  Noah  we  find 
that  the  diftindtion  of  clean  and  unclean  beafts,  of 
fuch  as  might  and  fuch  as  might  not  be  offered  to 
God  in  facrifice, 

•  Gene/.  3,  21.  f  Gent f.  4.  4, 


CHAP.  lit 


3* 

facrifiee,  was  known  ;  which  could  not  be 
without  a  divine  revelation.  For  when  Noah 
entered  into  the  Ark  he  was  commanded  of  every 
clean  be  aft  to  take  to  himfelf  by  /evens.1  And 
when  he  came  cut  of  the  Ark,  he  builded  an  al¬ 
tar  unto  the  L-crd,  and  took  of  every  clean  beaft , 
and  of  every  clean  fowl  and  offered  burnt -often  ings 
on  the  altar  :  And  the  Lord  fmelled  a  fweet  fa¬ 
vour.1  On  thde  feveral  accounts  the  few  fol¬ 
lowing  things  may  be  observed,  viz. 

i.  That  though  it  be  not  certain  that  thofe 
beafls,  the  fkins  of  which  Were  taken  to  clothe 
our  fifft  parents,  were  offered  in  facrifice  to  God  j 
it  is  yet  elf  ar  that  Abel  offered  the  firftlings  of  his 
flock  in  facrifice',  becaufe  the  fat  thereof ^  which 
was  afterward,  by  divine  appointment,  peculiar <* 
ly  dedicated  to  God,  was  offered  up.  And  we 
find  that  in  after  ages,  not  only  the  fat  of  the 
beaft  that  was  offered,  was  particularly  fet  apart 
for  God, 3  but  every  fir  ft  ling  of  clean  be  efts -was 
to  be  offered  in  facrifice  to  the  Lord.  Thus  it 
was  injoiued  on  the  children  of  Ifrael  refpedfing 
the  nrftlings  of  cattle  and  fheep,  that  they  fnouid 
remain  feven  days  with  the  dam  ;  and  on  the 
eighth  day  fnouid  be  given  to  God.4  God 
claimed  a  peculiar  right  in  all  the  firft-born  :  And 
the  firfllings  of  unclean  beafts  might  be  redeemed  j 
but  the  firiilings  of  a  cow,  or  a  fheep,  or  a  goat, 
might  not  ■  on  any  confideratlcn  be  redeemed  ; 
but  muff  be  offered  upon  the  altar,  in  facrifice  to 
God.5  The  facrifice itfelf  and  the  conformity  of 
fo  many  of  its  circumffances  to  the  rites  which 
were  afterward  exprefsly  required  by  the  levitical 
law,  give  great  reafon  to  fuppofe  that  Abel  had 
the  authority  of  a  divine  mftitunen  for  the  offer 
ing  which  he  made  to  God.  For, 

rfi 

*  Gene/.  7.  2.  *  Gene/.  S.  20 ,  21.  3  Levitt  3.  t6, 

*  E.xed.  22.  30.  5  Numb.  18.  17. 


CHAP.  Ill 


3$ 


i.  There  is  not  the  leaf!  reafon  to  fuppofe 
that  facrificing  of  beafts  could  have  been  accept¬ 
able  to  God,  unlefs  it  had  been  authorifed  by  a 
divine  appointment.  It  was  not  until  after  the 
flood,  that  mankind  had  any  right  to  make  ufe  of 
the  flefh  of  beafts  for  common  food.  Before  this 
God  had  given  to  man  only  the  trees  that  bore 
fruit,  and  the  green  herb,  for  meat.6  But  after 
the  flood,  he  enlarged  the  grant  to  Noah  who 
was  eminently  a  type  of  Chrift ;  and  faid,  Every 
tc  moving  thing  that  liveth  {hall  be  meat  for  you ; 
<c  even  as  the  green  herb  have  I  given  you  all 
t(  things.”7  Whence  it  appears  that  man's  right 
of  dominion  over  the  beafts,  particularly  to  make 
ufe  of  them  for  meat,  is  derived  to  him  through 
the  covenant  of  grace. 

And,  when  it  is  evident,  from  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures,  that  it  is  only  by  Chrift  that  finners  haveac- 
cefs  to  God  ; 8  and  that' all  thofe  modes  of 
worflnip,  and  means  of  accefs  to  him,  which  are 
only  the  fruits  of  human  invention,  are  abomi¬ 
nable  in  the  fight  of  God  ;9  there  is  not  the 
lead  reafon  to  fuppofe  that  it  would  ever  have 
entered  into  the  mind  of  Abel  to  offer  up  a  be  aft 
in  facrifice  to  God  ;  or  that  he  could  have  thought 
that  fuch  an  offering  would  be  accepted,  had  he 
been  without  the  authority  of  divine  inftitution. 
And  much  lefs  may  we  fuppofe,  that  had  this 
bodily  exercife  been  a  piece  of  willworjhip ,  the 
mere  fruit  of  his  own  invention,  it  would  ever 
have  found  acceptance  with  God.  But, 

3.  As  a  further  evidence  that  Abel  had  divine 
authority  for  the  facrifice  which  he  offered  to  Gody 

G  we 

6  Gene/.  I.  ig,  30.  7  Gcr.ef.  g,  3.  8  See  Rom,  5,  2.  Rphef, 

18.  Atfs,  4,  12,  9  Ifa.  29.  13.  Mark,  7.  7. 


4-0 


CHAP.  III. 


we  are  exprefsly  .told  that  he  made  his  offering 
by  faith ,  and  thereby  obtained  witnejs  that  he  was 
righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gifts.0  His  mak¬ 
ing  his  offering  by  faith,  implies  that  he  believed 
that  he  might  approach  his  maker  in  this  way  : 
For,  as  the  apoftle  prefen tly  afferts,  “  he  that 
“T  cometh  to  God  muff  believe  that  he  is,  and  that 
fC  he  is  a  revvaruer  of  them  that  diligently  feek 

him.  But  it  is  manifeft  that  he  could  not  have 
.the  lead:  reafon  from  any  conficleration  whatever, 
tor  this  belief,  but  what  was  derived  from  fome 
divine  intimation.  Wherefore  Abel’s  faith  by 
which  he  made  his  offering,  and  God’s  accept¬ 
ance  of  it,  and witnefs  that  he  was  righteous, 
are  a  furficient  ftamp  cf  divine  authority  for  his 
‘offering.  Abel  made  his  offering  by  faith,  juft 
in  the  fame  fenfe  as  Mofes  c<  kept  the  paffover 
t£  by  faith,  and  the  forinkling  of  blood 
which  had  the  exprefs  authority  of  a  divine  in- 
lutution. 

But  be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  fuffciently  clear 
from  the  New  Teftament,  that  the  facrifices  of 
the  Mofaic  inlHtution  were  defigned  to  prefigure 
the  facrifice  of  C  hr  iff,  that  lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  tire  fins  of  the  world.  This  is  fully 
proved  by  the  Apoffle,  particularly  in  the  ninth 
chapter  of  his  cpiffle  to  the  Hebrews.  We  may 
rationally  expeef,  therefore,  to  find  the  defign 
and  import  of  Jacrifices  more  fully  explained,  un¬ 
der  that  difpenfation  which  was  particularly  in¬ 
tended  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming  and 
■work  of  Chrift. 

It  appears  that  the  facrifices  of  the  levitical 
'inffitution  were  of  two  forts  •,  and  generally  of  a 

double 


Hth,  1 1.  4, 


1  Heb.  11.  28. 


CHAP.  III. 


4V* 


double  import  :  One  was  as 'an  atonement  for  fin, 
or  a  figurative  way  of  expiating-  crimes  ;  the 
Other  an  exprefiion  of  the  worfhip  and  homage 
due  from  creatures  to  their  Creator.  And  it  was 
by  facrifices  of  the  former  kind,  that  men  had 
accefs  to  God  for  acceptance  of  the  latter. A  In 
allufion  to  the  legal  facrifices  in  this  latter  fenfe, 
all  afls  of  divine  worfhip  are  {tiled  facrifices'. 
Thus  David  faith,  cc  the  facrifices. of. God  are  a 
<c  broken  fpirit.’>s  And  Paul  befeeches  chrifd- 
ans,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  to  prefent  their  bo¬ 
dies  a  living  facrificc,  holy,  acceptable  to  God.4 
But  the  import  of  facrifices  in  this  regard,  doth 
not  particularly  concern  our  prefent  inquiry. 
As  it  was  the  bloody  facrifices. for  fin  that  typified 
the  facrifi.ee  of  Chrift,  ■  what  it  efpeciaily  concerns 
us  to  underftand,  is  the.  proper  and  true  import¬ 
er  facrifices  as  they  were  uled,  by  divine  appoints 
ment,  for  making  atonement  for  fin ,  or  as  a  mean 
of  reconciliation.  .  .  .  :  >■ 


In  regard  of  thefe  facrifices ,  we  find  that  it  was 
eftablifhed  as  an  invariable  and  univerfai  rule, 
that  whatever  was  taken,  from  the.  herd,  dr  from 
the  dock,  fhouid  be  brought  to  the  door  of  the 
tabernacle  ;  and  there,  the  offender  was  today  his. 
hand  on  the  head  of  the  b.eaft  which  was -to  be- 
facrificed,  and 'kill  it  before  .the.  Lord.;  and  the. 
priefts  were  to  take  of  the  blood,  of  the  bead,  and 
fprinkle  it  round  about  upon  the  altar.  Thus,  as. 
foon  as  the  tabernacle  v/as  erefted  in  the  wilder-, 
rjefs,  we  are  told  that  “  The  LORD  called  ,unto 
tc  Mofes,  and  fpake  Unto  him  out  of  the  taberna- 
ec  cle  of  the.,  congregation,  faying,  fpeak  unto 

the 


-See  more  particularly,  Hti.  io.-i.  a.  3  Pfa.,  51,  17. 


4- 


CHAP.  III. 


fc  the  children  of  Iffael  and  fay  unto  them,  if 
sc  any  man  of  you  bring  an  offering  unto  the 
■'  Lord,  ye  fhall  bring  your  offering  of  the  cat- 
e:  tie,  even  of  the  herd,  and  of  the  hock.  And 
<e  if  his  offering  be  a  burnt  facrifice  of  the  herd, 
<c  let  him  offer  a  male  without  blemifh  :  he  fhall 
ec  offer  it  of  his  own  voluntary  will,  at  the  door 
ec  of  the  tabernacle  cf  the  congregation  before 
tl  the  Lord.  And  he  fa  all  put  his  band  upon  the 
*e  head  of  the  burnt-offering :  and  it  Jhall  be  ac- 
ceftsd for  him  to  make  atonement.  And  he  fhall 
t:  kill  the  bullock  before  the  Lord  :  And  the 
<(  prieffs,  Aaron’s  Ions,  fhall  bring  the  blood, 
te  and  fprinkle  the  blood  round  about  upon  the 
rf  altar  that  is  by  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  cf 
<c  the  congregation.”3  The  law  refpeffing  a 
peace  offering,  whether  it  be  of  the  herd,  or  of 
the  flock,  is  the  fame  ■,  and  the  fame  form  and 
ceremonies  are  to  be  obferved  concerning  it.1 
An  atonement  for  fins  of  ignorance,  whether 
committed  by  the  Priejl ,  by  a  Ruler ,  or  by  a.  pri¬ 
vate  perfon ,  is  to  be  made  in  the  fame  way  ;  and 
all  the  fame  ceremonies  punctually  to  be  obferved 
in  the  offering  :  And  if  it  be  by  the  whole  congre¬ 
gation. ,  the  Elders  cf  the  congregation  are  to  lay: 
their  hands  on  the  head  of  the  bullock  before  the 
Lord.3  And  on  the  great  day  of  yearly  facrifice, 
when  an  atonement  was  to  be  made  for  the  whole 
congregation,  by  the  offering  of  two  goats ,  one 
for  a  frn-offering  and  the  other  for  a  Jcape-goat 
the  priefb  was  to  lay  both  his  hands  on  the  head 
of  the  fcape-goat,  and  confefs  over  him  all  the 
iniquities  of  the  children  of  IJrael,  and  all  their 
iranfgr efforts,  in  all  their  fins A  Thefe  were  fea¬ 
tures 

*  Levii.  i.  j — 3.  *  See  Chap.  3.  I,  2,  6,  7,  8,  12,  1 3. 

?  Levit.  4.  throughout.  4  Levit.  16.  21. 


•CHAP.  III. 


43 


tutes  and  ordinances  to  be  obferved  by  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Ifrael  forever,  in  all  their  generations. 

These  inftitutions  were  expreflrve  and  figni- 
ficanc  j  and  the  language  and  import  of  them  not 
hard  to  be  under  Rood.  For  it  is  to  be  noted, 

I.  That  the  reafoti  why  the  blood  was  fo  ef- 
fential  a  part  of  the  facrifice,  was  that  it  emh 
neatly  fignifies  the  life.  Accordingly,  when  Cain 
had  (lain  his  brother,  God  charges  the  murder 
‘upon  him  in  thefe  words,  “  What  hafc  thou 
tc  done  ?  The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth 
■ef  unto  me  from  the  ground/’1  Thefiril  exprefs 
law  we  have  in  the  holy  fcriptures  againft  mur¬ 
der,  is  alfo  conceived  in  thefe  terms,  “  Whofoe- 
tc  ver  fneddeth  man’s  bloody  by  man  fhall  his. 
<c  blood  be  Used,2,  This  feems  to  have  been  the 
realbn  why  blood  was  excepted  out  of  that  grant 
which  was  firft  made  to  men,  of  the  brutal  create 
on  for  food.  “  Every  moving  thing  that  liveth,” 
faid  the  donor,  <c  fhall  be  meat  for  you  j  even  as 
tc  the  green  herb  have  I  given  you  all  things. 
<£  But  flefh  with  the  life  thereof  \  which  is  the  blood 

thereof \  fhall  you  not  eat.”3  The  reafon  why 
blood  ,  which  is  the  life,  might  not  be  eaten,  is 
given  where  God  faith,  <s  I  will  even  let  my  face 
“  againfl:  the  foul  that  eateth  blood,  and  will 
£C  cut  him  off  from  among  my  people.  For  the 
<£  life  of  the  flefh  is  in  the  blood,  and  I  have 
<c  given  it  to  you  upon  the  altar,  to  make  an  at  one - 
“  merit  for  your  fouls  \  for  it  is  the  BLOOD  that 
“  maketh  an  atonement  for  the  foul .”4  Therefore 
fprinkling  the  blood  of  the  facrifice  round 
upon  the  altar,  figuratively  imported  the 

1  Gem/.  4,  10.  1  Gene/.  9,  6.  3  Gmef.  g,  sf, 

?7- 


4 


44"" 


CHAP.  III. 


rng  up  of  the  life  to  the  Lord  upon  his  altar,  to 
be  confumed  by  fire. 

IT.  Laying  the  hand  on  the  head  of  the 
bead  ihat  v/as  to  be  facrificed,  implied  cortfeJp.cn 
cf fin  and  guilt  in  the  fight  of  God.  On  the  great 
day  of  yearly  atonement  for  fin,  the  high  Pried 
was  exprefsly  required  to  “lay  both  his  hands  on 
“  the  head  of  the  fcape-goat,  and  ccnfejs  over  kirn 
“  all  the  Iniquities  of  the  children  cflfracl,  and  all 
“  their  traJjgrefticns  in  all  their  Jins ,  -putting  them 
“  tit  on.  the  head  of  the  goat”  So,  when  any 
private  perfon  brought  his  offering  for  fin  j 
and  laying  his  hand  on  the  head  of  the  beaft,  de¬ 
livered  it  up  for  a  burnt-offering  to  be  made  up¬ 
on  the  altar ;  the  feveral  ceremonies  which  were 
to  be  obferved  in  the  cafe,  clearly  implied  con- 
fejjion  of  fin,  and  defer t  of  evil  at  the  hand  of  God. 
And  as  the  life  of  the  tranfgreffor  is  forfeited  by 
fin,  God’s  acceptance  of  the  life  of  the  beaft  un¬ 
der  thefe  circumftances,  plainly  contains  the  idea 
that  the  beaft  is  fubftituted  in  the  room  of  him  who 
offers  it ;  and  that  it  dies  and  is  confumed  by  fire 
on  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  inftead  of  the  tranfgrefi- 
or.  When  it  is  exprefsly  afferted  that  it  is  the 
Mood,  or  the  life  that  makes  the  atonement,  and 
the  finner,  whofe  life  is  forfeited,  is  pardoned 
and  accepted  upon  his  offering  the  life  of  the  beaft. 
over  which  he  has  confeffed  his  own  fins,  on  the 
Lord’s  altar ;  it  will  be  exceedingly  natural  to 
fuppofe  that  the  beaft  which  is  facrificed  is,  by 
divine  appointment,  fubftituted  to  die  and  be 
confumed  in  the  room  of  the  finner.  The  killing 
and  facrificing  the  beaft  which  was  brought  as  an 
offering  for  fin,  to  make  atonement,  together  with 
the  feveral  ceremonies  to  be  obferved  relative  to 
it,  very  fignificantly  expreffed  both,  the  finner-’ s 

conviftion 


GHAP.  III. 


45 


convidion  that  he  ■  himfelf'  deferved  death'; 
and  his  faith  in  the  merciful  acceptance  of  God 
of  a  fubftitute  infcead  of  the  perfon  of  the  tranf- 
greaor. 

III.  Tn^fire  that  confumed  the  facrifices 
which  were  offered  upon  the  altar,  was  fignifi- 
cant  of  divine  anger.  That  this  was  the  cafe, 
appears  from  the  following  confiderations,  viz. 

1.  Nothing  gives  a  more  acute  and  pungent 
fenfation  of  pain  than  fire.  We  have  no  ideas  of 
greater  bodily  torment  than  may  be  produced  by 
fire.  Accordingly  it  is  a  metaphor  abundantly  made 
life  of,  in  the  holy  fcriptures,  to  exprefs  the  awful 
nature  and  greatnefs  of  divine  anger  ;  and  the 
intolerable  cliftrefs  it  will  bring  on  thofe  upon  whom 
it  finally  falls;  No  term  is  more  frequently  made 
tile  of,  in  the  word  of  God,  to  exprefs  divine  an® 
ger,  than  fire.  Thus  the  fupreme  Being  calls 
upon  his  people,  by  the  prophet,  “circumcife 
tc  yourfelves  to  the  Lord,  and  take  away  the 
tc  forefkins  of  your  heart,  ye  men  of  Judah,  and 
<c  inhabitants  of  Jerufalem;  left  my  fury  come 
tc  forth  like  fire ,  and  burn  that  none  can  quench. 
<f  it,  becaufe  of  the  evil  of  your  doings.”0  Again; 
£f  O  houfe  of  David,  thus  faith  the  Lord,  exe- 
tc  cute  judgment  in  the  morning,  and  deliveT 
(C  him  that  is  fpoiled  out  of  the  hand  of  the  op- 
“  prefibr,  left  my  fury  go  out  like  fire,  and  bura 
tc  that  none  can  quench  it — ”l  And  thus  the 
fame  prophet  laments  the  evils  which  God,  in  his 
righteous  anger,  had  brought  on  his  people  If- 
rael  :  fc  He  hath  cut  off  in  his  fierce  anger  all 
(C  the  horn  of  Ifrael  :  he  hath  drawn  back  his 
cc  right  hand  from  before  the  enemy,  and  he 

burned 

0  Jerem .  4.  4.  1  J event.  21.  12. 


46 


CHAP.  Ill, 


<f  burned  again#  Jacob  like  a  flaming  flre  which 
cc  devoureth  round  about.”1  God  exhibits  his 
anger  under  the  fame  metaphor  by  another  of  the 
prophets,  when  he  fays  to  the  people,  cf  I  will 
e<  pour  out  mine  indignation  upon  thee,  I  will 
cc  blow  again#  thee  in  the  flre  of  my  wrath >  and 
“  deliver  thee  into  the  hand  of  brutilh  men,  and 
<r  fkilful  to  deftroy.  Thou  Hi  alt  be  for  fuel  to 
ec  the  firs''1  Thus  alfo  the  heathen  are  threat- 
ned,  C(  Surely  in  the  fire  of  my  jealoufy  have  I 
<f  fpoken  again#  the  refidue  of  the  heathen,”  &c.4 
Therefore  the  prophet  Amos  exhorts,  <c  Seek  the 
<c  Lord  and  ve  (hall  live,  left  he  break  out  like 
“fire  in  the  houfe  of  Jofeph,  and  devour  it.”5 
In  a  variety  of  other  places  is  the  fame  metaphor 
made  ufeof,  in  the  old  teftament,  to  expreis  di¬ 
vine  anger. 

The  fame  term  is  abundantly  ufed  in  the  new 
teftament,  both  by  Chrift  himfelf,  and  by  the  Apo- 
fties,  to  denote  divine  anger,  and  the  awful 
effects  of  it  upon  the  enemies  of  God.  Thus 
Chrift  faith  to  his  difciples,  in  explaining  the 
parable  of  the  tares,  lC  The  fon  of  man  fhall  fend 
“  forth  his  angels,  and  they  fhall  gather  out  of 
te  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and  them 
te  which  do  iniquity  ;  and  fhall  caft  them  into  a 
£r  furnace  of  fire  ;  there  fnall  be  weeping  and 
ct  gnafhincr  of  teeth.”6  He  alfo  exhorts,  <c  If 
<{  thy  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off :  it  is  better  for 
<c  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having  two 
<f  hands,  to  go  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never 
ee  fhall  be  quenched  ;  where  their  worm  dieth 
<c  not,  and  their  fire  is  not  quenched.”7  And 

when 

'  Lan-.Tr.:.  z.  3.  3  EzeL  21.  31,  32.  4  EzeL  36.5. 

5  slmei,  6.  6  Matt.  13.  41,  42.  7  Marti,  9.  43,  44- 


CHAP.  III. 


47 


when  he  comes  to  judge  the  world,  he  will  be 
“revealed  from  heaven  in  flaming  fire  taking  ven- 
“  geance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that 
ff  obey  not  the  gofpel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift.”5 
When  he  fits  in  judgment,  the  fentence  which 
he  finally  paffes  on  his  enemies  will  be,  cc  Depart 
<c  from  me,  ye  curded,  into  everlafting fire,  prepa- 
tf  red  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.”6  And,  the 
clofing  fcene  of  all  is,  that cc  the  devil  who  decei- 
“  ved  the  nations,  is  caft  into  the  lake  of  fire  and 
<f  brimftone ,  where  the  beafi  and  the  falfe  prophet 
{C  are  to  be  tormented  day  and  night,  forever  and 
cf  ever.”7  No  expreffion  is  more  frequently 
made  ufe  of  in  the  facred  writings  to  denote  di¬ 
vine  anger ,  than  this.  And  when  the  anger  of 
God  is  meant  to  be  reprefented  as  exceedingly 
great,  rifing  even  to  fury,  no  other  metaphor  is 
fo  frequently  ufed  to  reprefent  the  terrible  nature 
and  awful  confequences  of  it  as  fire.  <c  The 
<c  mountains  quake  at  him,  and  the  hills  melt , 
“  and  the  earth  is  burnt  at  his  prefence,  yea,  the 
<c  world  and  all  that  dwell  therein.  Who  can  Hand 
“  before  his  indignation  ?  and  who  can  abide 
“  the  fiercenefs  of  his  anger  ?  his  fury  is  poured 
“  out  like  fire ,  and  the  rocks  are  thrown  down 
“  by  him.”3 

And  as  the  term  fire ,  in  a  great  variety  of  in- 
fiances,  is  made  ufe  of  as  a  figure  in  the  facred 
writings  to  exprefs  divine  anger  •,  there  is  no  in¬ 
fiance  wherein  it  evidently  appears  to  be  uled  to 
exprefs  any  other  affedlion  of  the  divine  mind.  It 
is  true  that  John  the  baptift  fays,  “  I  indeed  bap- 
fC  tife  you  with  water — -but  he  that  cometh  after 
“  me — fhall  baptife  you  with  the  holy  ghoft,  and 
H  tc  with 

5  If.  Tbef.  i.  7,  8.  6  Matt.  25.  41.  7  Rev.  20.  10, 

s  Nahum,  1 .  5,  6. 


48 


CHAP.  III. 


<c  with  fire.'"3  But  in  reprefenting  Chrift  in  this 
light,  the  Baptift  Teems  to  have  reference  to  the 
d  dc  rip  t  ion  given,  by  the  ancient  prophets,  of 
the  character  of  Chrift.  For  fpeaking  of  his 
coming,  it  is  laid,  cc  Who  may  abide  the  day  of 
<£  his  coming  ?  and  who  fhall  ftand  when  he  ap- 
iC  peareth  ?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like 
‘c  fuller’s  Tope.  And  he  fhall  fit  as  a  refiner  and 
<c  purifier  of  filver.”  &c.°  And  it  was  foretold 
that  Chrift  fhould  “  purge  the  blood  of  Jerufalem 
<c  from  the  midft  thereof,  by  the  fpirit  of  judg- 
Cf  ment,  and  by  the  fpirit  of  burning.”*  As  fire 
is  a  greater  purifier  than  water ,  for  this  reafon  it 
probably  is  that  the  baptifm  with  which  Chrift 
haptifeth  his  people,  is  reprefented  by  fire ;  and 
this  in  allufion  to  the  Jewifh  cuftom  of  purifying- 
certain  veffels  by  fire.  In  this  paffage,  therefore, 
we  find  no  evidence  that  any  other  affection  of 
the  divine  mind  than  anger ,  is  ever  reprefented 
under  the  metaphor  of  fire. 

i.  The  final  deftrudlion  of  the.  enemies  of  God 
is  reprefented  in  the  holy  fcriptures,  by  thofe  fa- 
crifices  for  fin  which  were  exprefsly  required  to 
be  burned.  The  Pfalmift  faith,  (C  The  wicked 
“  fhall  perifh,  and  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  fhall 
“  be  as  the  fat  of  lambs,  they  fliall  confume  ; 
fC  into  fmoke  fhall  they  confume  away.”1  It  was 
an  exprefs  law  of  God  that  no  fat  of  any  fin- 
offering  fhould  be  eaten,  but  that  it  fhould  all 
be  confumed  by  fire  on  the  altar.3  But  if  the 
fire  that  burned  on  the  altar,  and  confumed  the 
Sacrifices  which  were  offered  upon  it,  were  not 
an  emblem  of  divine  wrath  ;  the  confumption  of 
thefe  facrifices  would  not  have  been  a  figure  of 

the 

9  Matt.  3 .  ii.  °  Malachi,  3.  2,  3.  1  Ifai.  44.  1  Pfa. 

iy.  20.  3  SeeLevit.  3.  15,  16.  and  6.  30, 


CHAP.  III. 


49 


the  deflrudtion  of  God’s  enemies  :  And  there 
could  have  been  no  propriety  in  reprefenting  the 
latter  under  the  image  of  the  former.  Had  not 
David  confidered  the  fire  on  the  altar  as  a  figure 
of  divine  anger,  we  have  no  reafon  to  fuppofe 
that  he  would  have  reprefented  the  effects  of  this 
anger  on  the  enemies  of  God,  by  the  facrifices 
which  were  offered  upon  the  altar  of  burnt-offering. 
We  have,  therefore,  reafon  to  conclude  that  he 
viewed  the  latter  as  an  image  of  the  former ; 
which  he  could  not  have  done  with  propriety, 
unlefs  the  fire  which  confumed  thefe  facrifices 
were  a  figure  of  divine  anger.  God  himfelf  feems 
to  reprefent  the  matter  in  the  fame  light,  where 
it  is  faid  by  the  prophet,  tc  The  fword  of  the 
“  Lord  is  filled  with  blood,  it  is  made  fat  with 
**  fatnefs,  and  with  the  blood  of  lambs  and  goats  ; 

with  the  fat  of  kidneys  of  rams  :  For  the  Lord 
“  hath  a  Jacrifice  in  Bozrah,  and  a  great  flaugh- 
x<  ter  in  the  land  of  Idumea.”4  Here  the  awful 
definition  which  Was  coming  on  the  Idumeans, 
is  reprefented  by  their  being  made  a  Jacrifice  ■, 
and  particularly  imaged  by  thofe  parts  of  the  fin- 
offering  which  are  confumed  by  fire,  upon  the 
Lord’s  altar. 

Thus  we  fee  the  fire  which  confumed  the  fa- 
crifices  which  were  offered  upon  the  altar,  repre¬ 
fented  divine  anger  ;  and  was  an  image  of  the  fire 
of  divine  wrath.  And  the  holy  flarhe,  under  the 
former  difpenfation,  muff  be  continually  fuppli- 
ed,  and  fed  with  facrifices;  otherwife  it  would 
burft  forth  upon  the  people,  and  defir oy  them. 
So  important  is  it  that  there  fhould  be  an  exr 
hibition  of  divine  anger,  preparatory  to  the  ex- 
ercife  of  pardoning  mercy  toward  the  finner. 

The 

*  Jfaiah ,  34.  6, 


50  CHAP.  III. 

The  feveral  ceremonies  of  the  facrifices  for  fin, 
under  the  leviticai  inftirution,  taken  together, 
had  a  language  that  was  very  fignificant.  They  i 
implied — the  divine  anger  againft  the  fmner  , 
and  that  in  the  judgment  of  God,  the  tranfgreffor 
deferved  to  die,  even  that  death  which  was  the 
penalty  of  the  law — that  the  tranfgreffor  was  of 
the  fame  lentiments,  and  entertained  the  fame 
views  of  his  own  character  and  deferts — that  he 
repented  of  his  (ins,  and  juftified  God  and  his 
law  in  condemning  him — and  finally  that  he  fled 
to,  and  trufted  in,  the  mercy  of  God  through  an 
atonement  wherein  his  righteous  anger  figuratively 
burned  againft  him.  This  feemed  to  be  the  plain 
and  natural  import  of  the  facrifices  for  fin,  which 
were  appointed  by  the  leviticai  law  and  of  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  to  be  obferved  in  offering 
them. 

IV.  The  facrifice  of  beads,  and  the  atone¬ 
ment  thereby  made  for  fin,  was  manifeflly  typi¬ 
cal  of  the  great  facrifice  of  Chrijl ,  and  the  atone¬ 
ment  which  he  made  for  the  fins  of  the  world. 

That  the  ancient  tabernacle,  and  all  the  rites 
and  forms  of  that  worfhip  which  was  performed 
in  it,  were  typical,  is  clearly  taught  in  the  New- 
Teflament.  For,  Ipeaking  of  this  tabernacle,  the 
Apoftle  fays,  it  was  “  a  figure  for  the  time  then 
te  prefent,  in  which  were  offered  both  gifts  and 
ee  facrifices  that  could  not  make  him  that  did  the 
“  fervice  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  confcience 
“  — But  Chrijl  being  come  an  high  pried,  by  a 
<e  greater  and  more  perfedt  tabernacle,  not  made 
ct  with  hands,  that  is  to  fay  not  of  this  building  ; 

<e  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves ,  but  by 
“  his  own  blood  entered  in  once  into  the  holy 

place. 


CHAP.  III. 


51 


t:  place,  having  'obtained  .  eternal,  redemption  for 
<f  us.”  On  which. he  reai'ons  thnsj  “  For  if  the 
<c  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  allies  of 
“  an  heifer  fprinkling  the  unclean,  fanCiifieth 
<c  to  the  purifying  of  the  fiefh  ,  how  much  more 
“  fhall  the  blood  of  Chri.fi ,  who  through  the  eter- 
“  nai  fpirit  offered  himjelf  without  fpot  to  God* 
cc  purge  your  confcience  from  dead  works  to  ferve 
tc  the  living  God.” 1  We  here  obferve  that  it  was 
the  blood  of  the  ancient  facrifice  that  was  particu¬ 
larly  typical  ;  and  in  this  the  figure  of  the  great 
facrifice  which  taketh  away  the  fins  of  the  world, 
was  efpecially  contained.  It  was  the  blood  of  the 
bead:  that  cleanfed  from  fiejhly  impurity  ;  and  it  is 
the  blood  of  Chrift  that  purgeth  the  confcience  frcr.i 
dead  ‘Works  to  ferve  the  living  God.  And  feeing  it 
is  by  his  own  blood  that  Chrift  enters  -  into  heaven 
itfelf,  to  appear  in  the  prefenee  of  God  for  his 
people ;  the  Apoftle  from  thence  infers  that  it 
was.  neceffary  the  earthly  tabernacle,  and  all  the 
ancient  patterns  of  heavenly  things,  fhould  alfo 
be  purified  with  blood.2 

It  is  further  manifeft  that  fm-offerings  in  parti¬ 
cular  were  typical  of  the  offering  which  Chrijl 
made  of  him f  elf  to  God  and  mere  eminently  Jo  than 
many  of  the  offerings  that  were  made  under 
the  law.  For  it  was  prophecied  of  Chrift  that 
he  fhould  make  his  foul  an  offering  for  fin  ; 3  that  is, 
make  himjelf  a  fin-offering.  Therefore  the  Apoftle 
fpeaking  of  Chrift,  faith  that  God  hath  made  him 
to  be  fin  for  us ,  who  knew  no  fin.*  And  it  is 
evident  that  Chrift  was  made  fin  in  no  other  fepfe 
than  by  being  made  a  fin-offering.  The  Apoftle, 
alfo,  manifeftly  fpeaks  of  Chrift  as  a  fm-offeringy 

when 

1  Heb.  9,  8,9,11—14,  a  verfs  23.  3  Ifaiah,  53.  10. 

*  II,  Cor.  5.  2J, 


5* 


CHAP.  III. 


when  he  fays  that  he  “  needeth  not  daily,  as  thofe 
*c  high  pnefts,  to  offer  up  facrifke,  firft  for  his 
tc  own  fins,  and  then  for  the  people’s :  for  this 
<c  he  did  once  when  he  offered  up  himfelf ”l  And 
he  exhibits  Chrift  under  the  like  chara&er,  when 
he  fays  that  he  was  once  offered  up  to  bear  the  fins 
of  many. 1 

These  jDaffages  fufRciently  prove  that  the  fm~ 
offerings  which  were  under  the  levitical  inftitution, 
.were  particularly  and  eminently  typical  of  the  of¬ 
fering  which  Chrift  made  of  his  life  to  God  ;  and 
confequendy  that  there  was  a  correfpondence  of 
the  fubftance  with  the  Jhadow — that  the  reality 
was  anfwe'rable  to  the  image  :  Otherwife  the  Apo- 
ftle  could  not,  with  propriety,  reafon  from  the 
latter  to  th t  former. 

But  if  there  were  an  exhibition  of  divine  anger 
in  the  fin -offerings,  which  were  made  under  the 
law  ;  we  have  reafon  to  fuppofe  there  was  alfo 
an  exhibition  of  divine  anger  in  the  offering  which 
Chrift  made  of  himfelf  for  Jin.  If  thofe  facrifices, 
in  which  were  contained  the  mod  lively  image 
of  divine  difpleafure  againft  the  finner,  were  par¬ 
ticularly  and  efpecially ,  typical  of  the  facnfice 
of  Chrift ;  this  would  naturally  lead  us  to  con¬ 
clude  that  the  facrifice  and  Offerings  of  Chrift 
were  a  lively  demonftration  of  the  righteous  dif¬ 
pleafure  of  God  againft  finners. 

V  ,v  .  ff  \ 

CHAPTER, 

1  Ihb.  f.  27.  -  Heb.  9.  28. 


CHAP.  IV. 


53 


CHAPTER,  IV.  '  '  * 

In  which  it  is  inquired  whether  there  le  not  evi¬ 
dence  that  Chnfi  died  in  the  ROOM  and  STEAD 
of  the  f  inner . 

IT  is  not  necefiary  in  the  prefent  cafe,  to  in¬ 
quire  what  that  death  is  which  the  finner  mufl 
have  fuflfered,  had  it  not  been  for  the  atonement 
and  interceffion  of  Chrift  :  Or  to  compare  the 
evils  which  mufl:  have  come  upon  the  finner,  .with 
thofe  which  were  actually  induced  by  Chrift. 
But  the  defign  is  to  examine  the  evidence  which 
the  holy  fcriptures  give  us  that  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift  did,  in  a  ftrid  and  proper  fenfe,  die  iie  the 
room  and  fiead  of  fimiers. 

This  inquiry  is  very  necefifary  in  order  to  un- 
derftand  the  tiue  import  of  Chrift’s  death ;  the 
relation  it  had  to  the  law  which  threatens  death' 
to  the  tranfgreflbr ;  and,  the  influence  it  hath  fa 
opening  the  way  for  mercy  to  be  exercifed  toward 
the  finner.  This  will  naturally  lead  to  a  better 
underftanding  of  the  language  of  To  important  an 
event,  as  it  relates  to  the  character  and  defert  of 
the  finner;  and  enable  us  to  fee  in  what  fenfe, 
and  in  what  refpeds,  the  law  of  God  is  ho¬ 
noured  by  it. 

The  language,  the  expreiTions,  of  the  facred 
writings  are  fuch  as,  in  their  moft  plain  and  natu- 
ral  import,  convey  the  idea  of  Chrift’s  being  a  fiib~ 
Jiitute,  and  dying  in  the  room  and  fiead  of  the  finner. 
And,  if  the  terms  made  ufe  of,  by  the  infpired 
writers,  moft  naturally  fuggeft  this  idea;  this,  of 
courfe,  is  the  light  in  which  the  fubjed  ought  re¬ 
ally  to  be  viewed.  In  order  to  colled  the  fenfe 

of . 


54 


CHAPA  13k 


of  the  facrei  Writers,  more-  fatisfaflorily  cn  the 
fubjeft  j  it  may  beufeful  to  give  the  feveral  modes 
of  expreflion  -which  we  find  in  .the  fcriptures  rela¬ 
tive  to  it,  a  diftiu&.  and  particular  confitle- 
ration.  And, 

I.  Our  Saviour  .himfelf  tells  us  that  he  <c  came 
<c  not  be  miniftred  unto,  but  to  minifler,  and  to 
ft  give  his  life  .a  RAN SOM  for  many.”1  And 
the  Apoftle  faith  that  Chrift  “  gave  himfdf  <z 

RANSOM  for  ail, to  be  teftified  indue  time.”'* 
Thefe  exprefilons  naturally  convey  the  idea  of 
Chrift’s  life  being  given  up  injlead  01  the  hnner’s — 
that,  when  the.  (Inner  was  condemned  by  law,  to 
die;  Chrijl  died-  in  his  roan.  This  is  the  literal 
meaning  of  the  original  terms, which  are  rendered, 
in  our  translation,  a ,  rahjom  for  many.  Lu- 
trcn  anti  poll  con,  and  Antilutron  up er  panJoon ,  ..are 
expreffions  which,  in  the  Greek,  naturally  con¬ 
vey  the  idea  of  a  fubfiitute,  and  luppofe  one  to  be 
in  the  room  and  place  of  another.  The  word  la- 
iron,  which  is  here  mandated  ranjom,  properly 
fignifies  the  drift?  of  redemption,  or  that  on  the  gift 
of  which,  the  guilty  perfon  is  delivered  from  the 
punifhment,  or.  evils  to.  .which,  he  was  expofed. 
Thus,  it  was  .aelaw  in  Ifrael,  “  ye  fhall  take  -no 

cc  Jatisfadiloii for  the  life  of  a.  murderer - -And, 

<c  ye  fhall  take  no  fati s faction  for  him. that  is  fled 
tc  to  the  city  of  his  refuge,  that  he  corner-gain  to 
c<  dwell  irk'fhe  land,  until  the  death  of  the 
“  Prieftd'1  In  "both*  thefe  places  the  Hebrew 
word  wh;ch 'is 'Here  rendered  fatisfafion,  -is,  in 
the  Septuagint  translation,  ftitrtm.  When,  there¬ 
fore,  ChrhVis  fajd' to  have  given  hhnfelf,  hislife 
a  raniom  for  many,  ( hitrcn  anti  pollooji,  or  anti¬ 
lutron 

1  Matt.  zo:‘  28.  ■■  Marh  XO;  4p'  1  Tin:,  -2.  6/ 

'Nun',  35.  31,  32. 


CHAP.  IV. 


ss 


Jut  non  uper  pantoon,')  it  muft  mean  that  he  gave  up 
his  life  infiead  of  thofe  who  were  condemned  to  death . 
And  this  is  the  fame  as  if  it  had  beenfaid,,he  gave 
up  his  life  infiead  of  thofe  who  were  condemned 
to  die.  The  prepofition.  which  is  here  mandated 
for  many,  or  for  all,  mult  mean  eppofition  and 
contrariety,  or  commutation  or  the  exchange  of  one 
thing  for  another.  But,  it  cannot  be  taken  in  the 
former  fenfe ;  for  then  it  would  imply  that  Chrift 
gave  himfelf,  his  life,  In  oppofition  to  the  linner, 
and  in  order  to  render  it  forever  impoflible  that  the 
■firmer  dhould  live.  It  muft  therefore,  be  taken 
in  the  latter  and,  then  it  will  imply  that  Chrift 
gave  his  life  in  the  room  zndfiead  of  the  finner. 
In  this  latter  fenfe  is  the  fame  prepofition  ufed  by 
tlie  Seventy,  where  the  king  faid  to  the  prophet, 
in  the  caie  which  he  had  juft  put  to  him,  “  if  by 
“  any  means  he  be  miiTing,  then  fhall  thy  life  be 
u  for  his  life.”12'  So  Jehu  faid,  tc  If  any  of  the 
tc  men  I  have  brought  into  your  hands  efcape,he 
tc  that  letteth  him  go,  his  -life  fn all  be  for  the 
*c  iifeofhim.”3  When  anyone  is  faid  to  give  him- 
Jelf  a  ranfom  for  another,  it  is  fuppofed  that  he 
puts  himfelf  in  the  place  of  the  other.  Should 
any  one  give  himfelf  a  ranfom,  ( antilutrpn )  to  re¬ 
deem  a  captive ,  it  would  fuppofe  that  he  himfelf 
went  into  captivity .  And  Ihould  any  one  give 

himfelf,  his  life  a  ranfom  for  one  who  was  con¬ 
demned  to  die  ;  it  would  imply  that  he  died  for 
him ,  or  in  his  ftead. 4  The  expreffions  under 
confideration  manifeftly  imply  that  the  life  of 
Chrifi  was  the  price  of  the  finner’s  ;  and  that  it 
was  given  up  with  this  view,  and  for  this  purpofe. 

I  II. 


.  CHAP.  IV 


5-6 


II.  Ths're  are  dtSer  pafiages',of  Scripture  in 
which  it  is  not  lefa  clearly  and  fully  intimated 
that  Chrift  died  in  the  room  and  ftead  of  finners. 

.  #sv  ■  -4  | 

lx  this  light  is  the  cafe  evidently  reprefented 
■by^he  Apoftle,  where  he  faith  that  “  Chrift  hath 
“  crnce  buffered-  for-- fins,  the  juft  for  the  unjuft  y 
l\  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.”°  Here  wo 
•are  exprefsly.  taught  that  Chrift, ,  a  juft  perfon,  j 
fuffe-rcd.  for  ihofte  who.  are  unjift ,  and  who  them- 
f elves  defer ved  to.  fuller.  ;And  the  bufferings  of 
jChrift  which  are  here  fpoken  of,  ate  not  his  hu- 
initiation  in-  being  .  born  and  duelling  with  men —■  || 
not  the  temptations  of  fat  an  smfh  which  he  was 
Aj/W— not  the  ft.  an  dors,  the  reproaches,  the  oppoft- 
tiou  of  men ,  which  he  .had  no  combat  through  the 
•Whole  courfe  of  his  life  but  his.  death  which  he 
fufferea  uppn  the  crofs.  For  the  Apoftle,  when 
he  had  fpoken  of  Cnrift’s  fuffering  for  the  unjuft,  I 
in  order  that  we -might  know  what  fuffering  he 
referred  .to,  immediately  adds  <c  being  put  to  death 
“  in  the  flefii,  but  quickened  by  the  fpirit.”  So 
that  the  words  of  the  Apofrie  mod  clearly  | 
contain  this  after tion,  viz..;  -That  Chrift Jujfered 
death,  for  thefe  who  were  condemned  to  die,  that  he 
might,  bring  them  to  God.  And  how  could  it 
be. more  clearly  and  exprefsly  afferted,  without 
vCing  the :  very  terms  thcnf elves,  that  Chrift  died, 
or  f offered  death,  in  the  room  and  ft  end  of  finners  j 
Accordingly  it  is  elfewnere  afferted  that  “  Chrift  j 
■“  died  for  the  ungodly — that  while  we  were  yet;  I 
i<  without  ftrength,  Chrift  died  for  us  that  he 
g  lo-rs-ytux,  fins  *<?  his  own  body  on  dhe  tree — by. 
cc  whole  ftripes  we  are  healed — that  God' hath 
<c  -made  him  to  be  fin  for  ks  who  knew  no  fin~ — that 
‘5 .  he  zoas  delivered  (that  is,,  to  death)  for  .our.  of¬ 
fences,  - 

°I.  Pet,  3.  18.  'Rom.  5.  6,  8.  Pet,  2I  24.  2II.  Cor.  5.  zl. 


CHAP.  I VZ 


5*' 

tc  fences, '  delivered 'up  f or  us  ail  fi  and  that)  even'- 
<c  Chrift  our  paffover  is facrificedfornis:"1  Thd'e- 
paffages  import  that  the  life  of  Chrift  Was  offered 
up  in  facrifice  for  the  fins.  of. -men  j-and  that  it ' 
was  by  the  facrifice  of  himfelf  that  he  redeemed  • 
fmners  from  deftruction  ;  this  being  their  ranfiom, 
or  the  price  of  tHeir  redemption.  And  all  this  is 
perfectly  correfpondent  with  the  prophecies  which  ' 
went  before  concerning  him  :  For  Ifaiah  in  the* 
fpirit  of  prophecy,  fays,  <c  Subtly  he  hath  born 
K  cur  griefs ,  and  carried'  our  farrows — he  was 
<f  wounded  for  our  traifigreffions ,  he  was  bruifed 
tc  for  our  iniquities ,  the  chaftffement  of  our  peace 
<c  was  upon  him — and  the  Lord  laid  on  him  the 

iniquity  of  us  all  - 

Further  ;  it  is  exprefsly.  afferted  that  Chrift 
became  a  curfe  for  us.  Paul  faith  that  “  Chrift 
i£  hath  redeemed  us.from  the  curfe  of  the  law, 
cc  being  made  a  curfe  for  us.”5  Thefe  words 
imply  that  he  was  a  fubfiituteior  us  in  Juffering — 
that  he  fuffered  evil  in  our  Head.  Be  the  evils 
which  were  implied  in  the  hurfe  which  Chrift 
fuffered,  what  they  may,  flill  they  were  evils. 
We  cannot  feparate  the  idea  of  evil,  from  a 
curfe ,  eipecially  the  curfe'  of  God.  From  thofe 
evils  which  are  implied  in  the  curfe  of  the  law  to* 
finners,  Chrift  hath  redeemed  his  people  f  and 
from  thefe  he  redeemed  them  by  fuffering  thofe 
evils,  whatever  .they  were,  which  were., implied, 
rn  the  curfe  which  he  endured.  It  is  hence  evident 
that  Chrift,  in  his  fuffering  on  the '  crofs,  was  a 
fiubftitute  for  the  finner.  And  however  different 
the  evils  which  Chrift  fuffered  were,  from  thofe 
which  the  finner  muft  have  fuffered  had  the  curfe 

.  •  Gf 

1  Rom.  4.  25.  and  8.  32.  3  I.  Cor.  5.  7.  *  Ifai.  53.  4, 

5,  6.  -%.Qatai.  3.  13. 


58 


CHAP.  IV. 


of  the  law  fallen-,,  in  its  full  weight  upon  hi  in  ; 
ftill  whatever  evils  lie  did  actually  fufier,  were 
endured  in  the  room  and  ftead  of  fmners.  For  it 
was  by  he  coming  or  by  being  mads  a  curje ,  that 
Chrift  redeemed  his  people. 

In  whatever  way  Chrift’s  becoming,  or  being 
made,  a  curje>  was  effential  to  the  recovery  of  fin¬ 
ders  j  or,  whatever  influence  it  adtually  hath  in 
their  recovery  :  We  have,  neverthelej’3,  fuflicient 
authority  to  conclude  that  it  has  iufAence  in  this, 
great  event,  and  is  ejfential,  to  it.  For  if  Chrift’s, 
becoming  a  curfe  has  no  influence,  and  were  not  ef*  , 
fential  to  the  finner’s  being  redeemed  from  the. 
curfe  j  we  can  fee  no  reafon  why  the  Apoftle 
ihould  fo  particularly  aferibe  our  redemption  to 
Chrift's  becoming  a  curfe.  And,;  the.  pafiage 
which  is  quoted  from  the  Old  Teftament  in  the 
proof  of  Chrift  being  made. a.  curje. i,.  fnow’s  that-  this 
was  in  his  dying  on  the  cro/s  :  For,”  fays  the  A- 
poftle,  “  it  is  written,  curfed  is  every  one  that 
<f  hangethon  a  tree.”  Hence  it  plainly  appears, 
that  Chrift  endured,  evil ,  fujfered  a  curje ,  and-  di¬ 
ed  in  the  room  and  place  of  fmners,  in  order  to  re¬ 
deem  them  from  the.  curfe  of  the  law.  We  can 
hardly  conceive  how  any  thing  fhould  be  faid 
which  would  more  fully  imply  Chrift’s  Juffering 
and.  dying  in  the  room  of  fmners.  .  C drift's,  being 
made  a  JubJiitute  for  fmners,  and  dying  in  their 
fieadi  can  hardly  be  exprefled  in  ftronger,  or 
more  direct  terms  than  thefey — -—that,  he  diedjor 
the  ungodly- — died  for  us-r— fuffered  the  juft  for  the 
unjuft  > — bore  our  Jins  in  his.  own  body  m  the  tree— 
redeemed  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  being  made 
a  curfe  for  us — was  made  Jm  for  uSy—facrifced.  for 
us  and  the  like. 


Should 


CHAP,  r V. 


59 

Should  it  be-  Aid  that  one  perfon  became  a» 
Jurety  for  another — that  he  was  bound,  impnfon- 
ed,  made  a  vi&im  for  him  ■,  no  one  would  be  at 
any  lofs  to  determine  the  meaning  of  the  expreffi- 
ons.  All  would  immediately  conceive  that  the' 
furety  was  bounds  imprifoned,  made  a  vi&im,.' 
in  the  room  and  Head  of  the  offender.  This" 
would  be  the  conftrudHon  which  the  common' 
fenfe  of  mankind  would  univerfally  put  on  fuch 
like  expreffions,  in  the  cafe  before  us.  For  one 
perfon  to  become  bound  for  another ,  or  fubjeCt 
himfelfto  any  evil,  or  penalty,  for  him ;  is,  in  a  ‘ 
ftri'ct  and  proper  fenfe,  to  fubfiitute  himfelf,  and 
put  himfelf  in  the  room  and  -place  of  the  delinquent. 
By  a  parity  of  reafon,  therefore,  and  by  all  juft: 
rules  of  conftruffion,  we  muff  fuppofe  that  the 
variety  of  expreffions  made  ufe  of,  in  the  holy 
fcriptures,  relative  to  the  defign  and  reafon  of  the 
fufferings  and  death  of  Chrilt,  do  indeed  imply 
that  be  fubftitnted  himfelf  in  the  place  of  finners, 
and  died  in  their  room  and  jiead. 

That  Chrift  fhould  himfelf  become  the  price 
of  the  finner’s  redemption — that  he  fhould  give 
himfelf  his  life \  a  ranfom  for-  limners — that  he 
fhould  be  made  ftn>  fuffer ,  die ,  and  he  fanbiifed for 
them ;  are  Expreffions  which  convey  a  fenfe  too 
plain  and  intelligible  to  be  eafily  evaded.  And, 
if  thefe  and  fuch  like  expreffions-,  do  not  imply 
that,  for  fome  reafon  op  other,  Ghrift  verily  fub- 
fiituted  himfelf \  andfubjebled  himfelfto  fujfering  and 
death ,  in  the  room  and  place  of  finners  ;  it1  will  be 
difficult  to  find  language,  to  in  vent  terms, 
which  would  fully  and  unequivocally  afcertaid 
this  idea  of  the  end  of  his  death. 

It  being  then  admitted  that.  Chrift  did  really 

die 


CHAP.  IV. 


60 

diedn  the  room  and  ftead  of  fmners ;  the  following 
remarks  naturally  offer  themlelves,  viz. 

i.  That,  tide  death  and  facrifice  of  Chrift  had 
an  efpecial  and  peculiar  relation  to  the  penal  part 
of  the  Jaw~ of  God.  It  is  acknowledged  that  a 
humble  fpirit,  and  a  broken  heart,  are  frequently 
termed  facrifices y  in  the  holy  fcriptures.  And  one 
principal  reaton  of  it,  probably,  is  the  correfpon- 
dcn’t  views  which  were  contained  in  fuch  exerci- 
fes,  with  the  plain  language,  the  natural  import, 
of  the  facrifices'  of  atonement  which  were 
made  for  fin,  under  the  law.  The  broken 
Jpirit  which  David  confiders  as  the  accept¬ 
able  facrifice  to  God, 1  implied  an  acknowledge¬ 
ment  of.  the  righteoufnefs  of  . the  divine  law,  and 
a  hope  and  truft  in  the  mercy  of  God  through  an 
atonement.  And,  as  this,  was  but  the  obvious 
Implication  of  the  levitical  facrifices)  the  term  it- 
felf,  by  a  very  eafy  and  natural  tranfition,  might 
be  carried  to  the  temper  of  mind  with  which  the 
literal  facrifices  were  to  be  made.  But,  literal 
facrifices  themfelves  are  neceflary  only  for  Tinners : 
they  are  inftituted  only  in  cafe  of  guilty  and  where 
the  lav/  is  broken.  Had  there  been  no  fin,  no 
facrifice  would  have  been  required.  The  facrifi¬ 
ces  under  the  law,  in  all  cafes  wherein  they  were 
to  be  ufed,  fuppofed  that  offences  had  been  com¬ 
mitted:  And,  onlyin  cafes  of  offence  were  facrifi¬ 
ces  of  atonement  appointed.  Where  fin  had  not 
been  committed,,  there  was  no  need  of,  either 
confefiion  of  guilt  in  the  creature,  or  teftimony 
of  difplealure  in  the  Creator  :•  But,  where:  it  had, 
both  were  neceffary  in  order  to  .reconciliation. 

And 


1  Pfalms,  51.  17. 


chap;  iv. 


Si 

And,  both  thefe,  we  are  to  remember,  'were  im¬ 
plied  in  the  bloody  facrifices  of  the  law';  and  e- 
qually  fo,  in  the  lacrifice  of  Chrift.  “d  'xJ  - 

The  law  of  God,  in  the  penal  part  of  k,  hath 
no  demands  on  the  righteous :  but,  fin  brings  us 
under  obligation  to  puniihment;  ,  The  preceptive 
■part  of  the  law  immediately  and  continually  ,rei- 
pe£t s  every  creature  ;  lying  equally  on  every  one, 
with  all  its  binding  force.  But,  not  lb  as.  to  the 
pend-,  this  immediately  refpedts  only  the  trani- 
greffor ;  having  a  relation  to  him,  and  a  demand 
on  him,  which  it  hath  not  on  the  innocent..  And, 
as  facrifices  of  atonement  are  neceflary  only  in  caf¬ 
fes  of  tranfgrefiion,  it  is  hence  evident  that  they 
have  a  more  immediate  reference  to  the  penalties, 
than  to  the  preceptive  parts  of  the  divine  law: 
As  far,  therefore,  as  there  is  a fimilittrde,  and  inrk 
ty  of  defign,  between  the  bloody  facrifices  of  the 
law,  and  the  facrifice  of  Chrift  ;  fo  far  the  latter, 
as  well  as  the  former,  had  a  more  immediate  re¬ 
ference  to  the  fan&ions  of  the  law.  As  far  as  the 
latter  was  prefigured  by  the  former.;  fo  far  the 
penal,  rather  than  the  preceptive  parts  of  the 
Jaw  were  regarded  in  it. 

a.  It  appears  from  the  preceding  obfervati- 
ons,  that  Chrift  was  a  facrifice  in  his  bloody  and  ig - 
nominious  death ,  in  a  different  fenfe  from  what  he 
-was  in  his  holy  and  obedient  life.  However  necef- 
fary  it  was  that  Chrift  fhould  live  aperfe&ly  pure 
and  holy  life,  in  order  to  the  acceptableneft  of 
the  facrifice  which  he  made  of  himfelf  in  his  death  ; 
(as  this  indeed  was  abfolutely  neceffary)  ftiU,  his 
death  was  a  facrifice  in  a  different  fenfe  from  that 
of  his  obedient  life.  Sin-offerings,  under  the  for¬ 
mer  dilpenfation,  were  to  be  made  only  of  clean 

be aft s  i  , 


£l 


CHAP.  17. 


-beads ;  and  thofe,  too,  fuck  as  were  without  ble- 
■mifh.  Yet,  thefe  beads,  clean  and  unblemifhed, 
were  to  be  offered  up  m  facrifice  to  God. 
So  Chrift,  tf  through  the  eternal  Spirit,  offered  up 
li  himfelf  wifhhut  ftp  at  to  God Therefore,  his 
people  are’  faid  to  be  redeemed  from  their  vain 
converfation  with  the  precious  blood  of  Chrift,  as 
cf  a  lamb  "without  blemijh ,  and  without  J pot. * 
And,  as  the  redemption  which  Chrift  hath  obtain¬ 
ed  for  his  people  is  aforibed  t6  his  blood,  or  his 
death,  as  its  procuring  caufe  ;  we  are  naturally 
led  to  comider  the  facrifice  he  made  of  himfelf  as 
confiftirig  in  a  peculiar  and  diftingyiihing  manner 
in  his  death. 

Agree  ajb l  y  to  this  vierv  of  the  matter,,  ChriR: 
who  knew  no  .fin,  is  faid  to  have  been  made  fin 
for  us  ;s  which  can  be  true  in  no  other  fen fe  than 
■being  made  a  fin-offering.  And  that  it  was  not 
in  his  obedient  life,  but  his  ignominious  death 
that  Chrift  was  made  a  fin-offering,  feems  natur 
rally  to  be  ftuggefted  by  the  drftinftion  whieh  the 
Apoftle  makes  between  his  firft  and  fecond  ap¬ 
pearing.  He  fays,  cc  As  it  is  appointed  unto 
"  man  once  to  die — fo  Chrift  was  once  offered  to 
*e  bear  the  fins  of  many  :  And  unto  them  that 
xt  look  for  him  fhall  he  appear  the  fecond  time 
*e  without  fin  unto  falvation.,,4‘ 

We  know  not  in  .what  refipefts  Chrift  will  ap¬ 
pear  the  fecond  time,  without  fin,  any  more  than 
he  did  the  firft  ,  excepting  it  be  that  at  his  fe¬ 
cond  coming  he  will  n6t  make  his  foul,  or  his 
life,  an  offering  for  Jin.  And  it  is  exceedingly 
plain  that  fufferings  and  death  have  a  more  direeffc 

and 

1  Htl.  9.  14.  a  Pet.  1.  19.  "II.  Cvr.  5.  zi. 

4  Het.  9.  27,  28. 


CHAP.  IV.  6j 

and  immediate  relation  to  the  fandtions  of  the  law, 
than  obedience . 

3.  It  may  be  remarked  further  that  the  fame 

character,  the  fame  difpoftion  of  the  Deity,  which 
would  have  appeared  in  the  death  of  the  finner, 
was  defigned  to  be  exhibited  in  the  death  of  Chrijh 
It  has  been  before  o'oferved  that  it  is  eiTential  to 
the  glory  of  God,  that  the  fpirit  of  the  law  be 
perfectly  adhered  to,  and  fully  maintained,  .in, 
his  adminiftration  of  government.  Hence,  and 
hence  only,  aroie  the  neceflity  of  the  firmer' s 
death.  Had  not  the  former  been  neceffary,  nei¬ 
ther  would  the  latter.  Had  it  not  been  neceflary 
that  the  fame  character  fhould  appear,  and  be 
fully  and  perfedtly  preferved,  in  governing ,  as  was 
naturally  exhibited  by  the  laws  which  were  origi¬ 
nally  eftablifhed  as  the  rules  of  divine  govern¬ 
ment  :  we  could  difeern  no  necefiity  of  even  the 
finner  s  death.  But  feeing  there  is  an  obvious 
neceffity  of  this,  we  eafily  fee  why  it  mufc  be  that 
the  foul,  that  fins  fhould,  alfo,  die.  If,  therefore, 
the  Saviour  died  in  the  room  and  fiead  of  the  finner, 
we  can’t  rationally  fuppofe  otherwife  than  that, 
in  this  remarkable  event,  the  fame  divine  difpo- 
ftion  was  delineated,  and  the  fame  character  ex¬ 
hibited,  which  would  have  appeared  in  the  death 
of  the  finner.  Confequently, 

4.  The  principal  defign  of  the  death  of  Chrijh  . 
was  not  to  difeover  the  perfection  and  ftrength  of 
his  own  perfonal  obedience  ;  and  to  bellow  on  it 
a  lullre,  with  which  it  could  not  otherwife  have 
fhone.  It  is  confelfed  that  this  is  an  end  not  only 
worthy  of  being  an  objedt,  but  which  alfo  was 
very  advantageoufly  anfwered  by  the  death  of 
Chrift.  Still  it  is  evident  that  this  was  not  the 

*  K  only. 


64 


CHAP.  IV. 


only,  or  even  principal  objefl:  in  view,  in  this 
great  event.  For  Chrift  to  die  in  order  to  difco- 
ver  the  immoveable  ftrength  of  his  difpofition  to 
obey.  God  ;  and  to  die  in  the  room  and  Jtead  of  thofe 
who  muft  otherwife  have  fallen  victims  to  divine 
wrath  ;  are  not  precifely  one  and  the  fame  thing  : 
Nor  do  they  exhibit  the  character  of  the  great 
Governor  of  the  world  exaXtly  in  the  fame  point 
of  light.  The  death  of  the  firmer  is  a  glaf's  in 
which  we  fee  the  righteoufnefs,  the  punitive  juf- 
tice  of  God  :  So,  alfo,  is  the  death  of  Chrift. 
In  the  former,  we  have  a  view  of  righteoufnefs  as 
it  relates  to  the  execution  of  punifhment :  So,  al¬ 
fo  in  the  latter  5  if  it  be  true  that  Chrift  died  in 
the  room  and  ftead  of  finners  ;  and,  that  his  death 
had  a  more  direct  and  immediate  relation  to  the 
Jan lJ ion  of  the  moral  law. 

The  death  of  Chrift  difeovered  iris  own  rigbte- 
oujnejs ,  not  merely  as.  it  relates  to  pretexting 
the  innocent;  but,  alfo,  to  punilhing  the  guilty : 
not  only  as  it  refpeXts  rewarding  the  virtuous  ; 
but,  bringing  evil  on  the  wicked.  Otherwife 
we  cannot  fee  how  it  could  be  faid  with  pro¬ 
priety,  that  he  was  made  fin ,  or  a  fin-offering ,  for 
us.  Righteoufnefs  is  a  general  term,  which  relates 
to  law  and  government.  It  equally  regards 
the  fanctions,  as  the  precepts  of  the  law  ;  and,  as 
really  refpefls  the  execution  of  puniihments,  as  the 
bellowment  of  rewards.  Chrift’s  becoming  a  curfe 
for  us,  and  his  dying  in  our  room  and  ftead,  as 
truly  imply  that  he  fuffered  for  us,  as  any  thing  faid 
in  the  holy-feriptures  fuppofeth  that  he  obeyed  the 
law  for  us.  And,  when  he  is  called  the  Lord  our 
righteoufnefs ,  the  term  is  to  be  taken  in  a  large 
and  general  fenfe,  as  relating,  both  to  the  precepts 
and  the  fanXtions,  of  the  divine  law  :  And,  is  to 

be 


CHAP.  V. 


65 


be  confidered  as  regarding  government  as  it  is  fup- 
ported,  both  by  the  execution  of  punifhments, 
and  the  beftowment  of  rewards.  So,  alfo,  when 
the  righteoufnefs  of  the  law  is  fpoken  of  as  being 
fulfilled  in  chriftians,1  the  term  is  to  be  taken  in 
a  general  fenfe  ;  and,  is  to  be  confidered  as  ha¬ 
ving  refpetft  to  law  in  general ,  as  well  the  penal, 
as  the  perceptive  parts  of  it :  Otherwife  we  could 
not  fee  how  the  honour  and  dignity  of  the  di¬ 
vine  government  could  be  preferved,  and  yet  the 


;uiity  go  unpunished. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Shewing  the  necejflty.  of  Chrift' s  perfect  obedience  in 
order  to  his  making  atonement  for  ftn  ;  and*, 
the  influence  which  his  per f anal  righteoufnefs 
hath  in  procuring  pardon  for  the  flnner. 


OTWITHSTANDING  the  evidence  there 


IN  is  that  Chrift  died  in  the  room  and  dead  of 
fmners  ;  and  that  the  crimes  of  men  are  expiated 
by  the  Sufferings  of  Chrift;  it  is  to  be  remembered 
that  there  is  no  merit,  .no  moral  worth  or  atoning 
virtue,  merely  in  fufferings.  Pain  and  diftreis 
have  no  moral  virtue  in  them ::  and  are  of  no 
importance,  otherwife  than  as  means  through 
which  the  beauty  of  the  divine  character,  and  the 
true  difpofition  of  the  divine  mind,  may  be  feen 
by  his  creatures.  For,  as  all  the  divine  admi  - 
niftration  is  fitted  to  exhibit  the  character  of 
God,  if  punifhments  did  not  anfwer  this  end, 
they  would  nfever  be  made  ufe  of  in  the  divine  go¬ 
vernment.  The  righteoufnefs  of  the  law  is  ful¬ 
filled  in  the  fufferings  of  the  flnner ,  in  no  other  way 
than  as  they  Serve  to  exhibit  the  righteous  charac¬ 
ter  of  God,  and  prove  Jiirn  to  be  a  hater  of  ini- 


*  Itom.  8.  4, 


66 


CHAP.  V. 


quity.  Were  not  this  the  cafe,  the  moral  cha¬ 
racter  of  the  man  Jefus  Chrift  would  not  have 
been  cf  fo  great  importance  to  his  being  made  an 
offering  for  fin  :  But,  .his  whole  worth  as  a  jacri - 
f.ce  muff  be  eftimated  by  his  capacity  to  endure 
pain. 

Ti-ie  worth  of  the  facrifice  which  Chrift  made 
-  of  himfelf  for  the  fins  of  the  world,  arifes  from 
the  moral  excellencies  of  his  perfon  and  character. 
W ere  not  this  the  cafe,  the  fame  quantity  of  luf- 
ferings  endured  by  a  perfon  of  inferior  charac¬ 
ter,  would  have  equally  anfwered  the  end 
of  obtaining  pardon  for  the  finner.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  for  a  perfon  of  Chrift' s  dignity  and 
worth  to  endure  greater  degrees  of  pain,  is  of  more 
importance  than  enduring  lej's :  yet,  the  value, 
the  import,  in  a  moral  view,  of  his  fufferings,  be 
they  either  greater  or  lefs,  arifes  from  his  perfo- 
nal  worth  and  character. 

This  being  the  cafe,  it  was  abfolutely  neceffa- 
jy,  in  order  to  the  atonement  he  was  about  to 
make  by  once  offering  up  himfelf  to  God,  that 
his  life  and  character  ihould  be  raoft  perfectly 
pure -and  fpotiefs :  Otherwife,  in  his  death  he 
could  not  have  been  an  offering  of  a  fweet  favour 
to  God.  This,  we  are  naturally  led  to  fuppofe, 
v/as  a  reafon  why  the  fin-offerings  that  were  made 
under  the  former  difpenfation,  were  expreisly  re¬ 
quired  to  be  of  the  clean  beafts ;  and  no  other 
would  be  accepted.  For  God  expreisly  declares, 
“  curfed  be  the  deceiver  which  hath  in  his  flock 
“  a  male,  and  voweth  and  facrificeth  unto  the 
cc  Lord  a  corrupt  thing.”1  God’s  acceptance 
an  offering,  and  his  being  reconciled  to  the 

offender. 


*  Malacht*  i.  14. 


CHAP.  V. 


67 


offender,  were  upon  the  exprefs  condition  that 
the  facrifice  was  made  only  of  beafts  that  were 
clean.  And  the  defign  of  this  law  was,  not  on¬ 
ly  to  teach  the  duty  and  obligation  of  devoting 
cur  belt  fervices,  and  giving  up  the  bed  we  have 
to  God  i  but  more  clearly  and  perfectly  to  pre¬ 
figure  that  glorious  facrifice  which  Chrift  made 
of  himjelf  to  God  for  the  fine  of  the  world. 
Hence  the  Apoftte  faith,  “  For  fuch  an  high. 
‘f  priefc  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmlefs,  un- 
“  defded,  feparated  from  boners,  and  made 
<c  higer  than  the  heavens.”1  The  dignity  and 
excellency  of  the  char  abler  of  Chrilt,  and  thefe 
only,  put  the  infinite  value  on  the  facrifice  which 
he  made  of  himfelf  for  the  fins  of  the  world. 
And  on  this  account,  and  this  alone,  it  was  that 
God  was  pleafed  to  fmell  a  fweet  favour  in  the 
offering.  Had  there  been  the  ieaft  blemifh  or 
imperfection  in  the  character  of  Chrift,  his  blood 
would  be  as  far  from  cleanfing  from  fin,  as 
that  of  bulls  and  goats  :  And  his  bufferings,  how¬ 
ever  great  in  kind,  or  degree,  would  have  been 
of  no  avail  to  obtain  pardon  for  the  fmalleft 
tranfgreflion, 

An  angry  tyrant  may  have  his  rage  appeafed 
by  bufferings — his  revenge  glutted  by  blood. 
But  not  fo  with  the  infinitely  pure  and  glorious 
governor  of  the  world,  who  hath  no  pleafure  in 
the  death  of  him  that  dieth.  An  exhibition  of 
the  glories  of  his  character,  the  infinite  ftrength 
and  purity  of  his  love,  is  the  great  end  in  view, 
in  all  the  pain  and  mifery  he  brings  on  his  crea¬ 
tures.  The  /offerings  of  Chrift,  therefore,  afide 
from  the  moral  excellencies  of  his  character,  his 
pnoft  perfect  and  virtupus  obedience  under  them, 

could 

r  Heb>  7„  260 


63 


CHAP.  V. 

could  not  have  been  of  the  leaft  worth  in  the 
fight  of  God  :  Becaule  neither  the  wifdom,  nor 
righteoulnels  ot  God  in  his  regards  to  the  general 
good,  could  have  been  feen  in  the  Father’s  lay¬ 
ing  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all. 

But  the  neceinty  of  the  obedience  of  Chrift,  in 
order  to  his  making  atonement  for  fin,  is  further 
evident  from  fuch  confiderations  as  thefe,  viz. 

i.  The  perfect  obedience  of  Chrift  was  a  ne- 
ceffary  and  glorious  atteftation  to  the  righteouf- 
nefs  and  equity  of  the  moral  law. 

Mercy  to  the  linner  necefTarily  implies  that 
the  law  by  which  he  is  condemned  is  juft  and 
righteous.  And  without  a  full  and  perfect  ac¬ 
knowledgment  of  this,  Chrift  could  neither  con¬ 
fidently  intercede  for  mercy  to  tranfgrelTors,  ncr 
the  Father  beftow  it.  Until  this  point  was  fully 
acknowledged  and  eftablifhed,  there  could  be  no 
room  for  reconciliation  :  becaufe  every  exercife 
of  mercy  without  this,  -would  be  an  implicit  con- 
feftion  of  undue  feverity  in  the  law.  Therefore 
Chrift  himfelf  faith,  that  “  heaven  and  earth  fhall 
(C  pafs,  before  one  jot,  or  one  tittle  fhall  pafs 
(C  from  the  law,  until  all  fhall  be  fulfilled.”' 
But  to  behold  a  perfon  of  fuch  high  dignity  as 
the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and  of  fo  tranfcendently 
excellent  a  character,  perfectly  obeying  the  di¬ 
vine  law  ;  and  exhibiting  in  himfelf,  and  that 
under  the  moft  trying  fcenes,  a  moft  perfect  pat¬ 
tern  of  that  cheerful  obedience  and  unreferved 
fubmiffion  which  is  required  of  men ;  affords  a 
ftrong  teftimony  to  the  righteotifnefs  of  that  law 
under  which  men  were  originally  placed  :  And 
is  fitted  to  convince  us  that  every  breach  of  it  de- 

ferves 

1  Matt.  5.  xS. 


CHAP.  V. 


69 


ferves  the  curfe.  No  pattern,  no  example,  could 
poffrbly  carry  ftronger  evidence  of  this  than  the 
holv  and  obedient  life  of  Chrift. 

Such  a  teftimony  to  the  righteoufnefs  of  the 
law,  was  but  a  proper  and  neceffary  acknowledge¬ 
ment  to  be  made  to  God,  by  him  who  undertook 
to  mediate  peace  between  God  and  men.  With¬ 
out  this  it  could  not  have  appeared  that  Chrift  in 
every  thing  juftifted  God,'  and  wholly  condemned 
the  finner.  And,  had  not  the  man  Jefus  Chrift 
fnoft  perfectly  juftifted  God,  and  condemned  the 
finner,  his  offering  up  himfelf  upon  the  crofs,  in- 
ftead  of  being  a  fweet  incenfe,  would  only  have 
been  failing  a  victim  to  the  juft  indignation  of  his 
injured  foverign. 

But,  when  Chrift,  being  found  in  fafhion  as  a 
man,  humbled  himfelf,  and'became  obedient  un¬ 
to  death  ;  when  his  death  was  an  expreffion  of  the 
high  fenfe  he  entertained  of  the  excellency  and 
righteoufnefs  of  the  moral  law ;  the  facriftce  he 
made  of  himfelf  was  then  an  offering  of  a  fweet 
favour  unto  God  ;  and,  naturally  prepared  the 
way  for  a  treaty  of  peace  and  reconciliation  be¬ 
tween  God  and  men.  And,  the  perfect  obedi¬ 
ence  of  Chrift  under  all  the  bufferings  he  endured 
on  earth,  efpecially  in  the  laft  and  extreme  fcenes 
of  his  life,  was  peculiarly  honourable  and  accept¬ 
able  to  God,  as  it  carried  the  fulleft  acknowledg¬ 
ment  of  the  righteoufnefs  of  divine  government 
when  adminiftred  in  the  adtual  execution  of  di¬ 
vine  vengeance  on  his  enemies. 

When  we  take  a  view  of  the  nature,  defign 
and  greatnefs  of  the  bufferings  of  Chrift,  it  will 
appear  that  his  voluntarily  fubjedting  himfelf  to 
them,  and  his  ready,  cheerful  and  patient  obedi¬ 
ence 


70 


CHAP.  V. 


ence  under  them,  were  what  really  conftituted  the 
whole  moral  worth  of  the  facrifice  which  he  made 
of  hlmfelf  for  the  fins  of  the  world.  The  bars 
diftrejs  and  pain  of  the  Saviour,  in  themfelyes  lim¬ 
ply  conftdered,  had  no  virtue  in  them,  and  were 
o{  no  worth.  But,  the  dtfpoftion  of  mind  with 
which  he  endured  thofe  extreme  agonies  and  pains, 
the  temper  he  exprefted  under  them,  were  or  in¬ 
finite  worth.  Tnefe  were,  therefore,  precious 
inthefight  of  God,  and  worthy  to  be  acknowledged 
by  Chrift’s  being  raifed  to  that  high  ftation  of 
honour  and  glory  to  which  he  is  now  exalted. 
Therefore,  Chrift’s  prefent  exaltation  and  reign 
are  fpoken  cf  by  the  Apoftle,  as  the  reward  of 
his  voluntary  humiliation  and  obedience  unto 
death.  Treating  on  this  fubjedt  he  fays  of  Chrift, 
<f  being  found  in  fafhion  as  a  man,  he  humbled 
“  himielf  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
cr  the  death  of  the  crofs.  Wherefore  God  hath 
ft  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name 
rt  which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  at  the  name 
cc  of  Jefus  every  knee  ftiould  bow,  of  things  in 
fC  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under 
rc  the  earth  ;  and  that  every  tongue  ftiould  con- 
fC  fefs  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  Lord,  to  the  glory 
ff  of  God  the  Father.”1  Chrift’s  real  merit  of 
the  high  ftation  he  now  poftefteth,  confifted,  not 
in  the  extremity  of  his  fufferings,  but  the  perfec¬ 
tion  of  his  obedience.  It  is  not,  ftricfly  fpeak- 
ing,  for  the  pains  he  endured,  but  for  the  views 
and  temper  of  mind  he  manifefted  under  them, 
that  the  man  Jefus  Chrift  is  raifed  to  univerfal 
dominion,  and  has  angels,  men,  and  devils  fub- 
jedfed  to  his  authority. 


i.  That  God  ftnould  be  manifeft  in  fleftn,  and 

voluntarily 


1  Philip.  2,9,  IO,  II. 


CHAP.  V. 


7* 


voluntarily  lay  down  his  life  for  his  people  and  be¬ 
come  a  curfe  for  them,  not  only  ftrongly  attefts 
the  righteoufnefs  of  the  divine  law  as  a  rule  of 
government  ;  but,  abundantly  proves  that  the 
difpofition  of  the  divine  mind  moft  invariably 
conforms  to  the  rules  of  equity  and  righteoufnefs. 
That  this  fhould  be  done,  was  a  matter  of  infinite 
importance  to  the  honourable  exercife  of  mercy. 
It  is  far  from  being  enough  that  the  rules  of  di¬ 
vine  government  fhould  be  luch  as  approve  them- 
felves  to  the  confciences  of  men,  and  carry  con- 
vi&ion  of  their  equity  :  But,  feeing  that  God  will 
forever  maintain  the  dignity  and  honour  of  his 
own  chara&er ;  when  he  was  about  to  do  fo  won¬ 
derful  a  thing  as  to  pardon  and  favefinners,  it  was 
a  matter  of  the  laft  importance  that  he  fhould  ex¬ 
hibit  a  character,  a  difpofition  of  mind,  perfectly 
conformable  to  the  true  fpirit  of  thofe  rules  of 
government  which  he  had  previoufly  eftablifhed. 
Otherwife,  though  the  law  might  appear  juft, 
God  himfelf  could  not  appear  fp  in  juftifying  the 
ungodly. 

But,  the  fcene  of  the  fufferings  of  the  Son  of 
God  abundantly  difplayed  this  character  of  Jeho¬ 
vah,  this  difpofition  of  the  divine  mind ;  which 
it  could  not  have  done  in  fuch  a  manner  as 
to  lay  a  foundation  for  mercy  to  finners,  had 
not  the  character,  the  obedience  of  the  Mediator* 
been  abfolutely  fpotlefs  and  perfefh 

However  voluntary  Chrift  was  in  laying  down 
his  life ,  the  hand  and  agency  of  the  Father  are 
neverthelefs,  by  no  means  to  be  overlooked  in  this 
remarkable  event.  Though  the  Son  made  his 
foul  an  offering  for  fin>  the  Father  bruifed  him* 
put  him  to  griefj  and  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of 
L  us 


•7.2 


CHAR  V. 


>js  air*;  '-  the-  hand  and  the  agency  of  God  were 
•a*  truly  confpicuoilS,  and  his  providence  as  abtive, 
in  bbftging  fuffering,  diftrefs  and  death  on  the 
Son  of  his  love  ;  as  in  any  evil  he  doth,  or  ever 
will,  bring,  on  flrfneus.  Chrift  buffered  as  much 
by  the  decree^  the  determinate  counfel  of  God, 
-as' -ihvpenitent '  fiftrters  will  do  hereafter.  And  in 
thi-fr  active  providence,.  in  that  aitonifhing  event, 
God-'  ufl-ed  for  MS-t>wn  glory,  and  dcfignediy . ex¬ 
hibited  his  own  intiwitely excellent  •  character,  as 
i'6  ally  as  in  the  .final  perdition  of  impenitent  fin- 
nets’.  Yesf,  and  he  evidently  defigned  that  the 
-fame  righteous  regard  to  his  holy  law,  to  good 
-order  and  government,  fhoukl  appear  and  fhine 
in  the  former  event  as  in  the  latter. 

■  .  Jf  he.- cf/e  being  thus,  iyis.eafy  .to  lee  that,  tin- 
k*7 jhe  moral  egaracter  of  Chrift  had  heen.abfo- 
iuteiy  { >c r £e c  t  th a t - exh i b iti an  of  divine  righteouf- 
t«?&,  -yhiep  w-as  made  in  his  fvjffgrings  and  death, 
cfyftfty-fford  no  ijnoryjeafon  for  mercy  to  (ip tiers, 
than  that  w-nich  is  made  in  the  deftru&ion.of*  fin- 
rers  themfeives.  l  or  a  manifeftation  of  righte- 
j<mf&slYi'n  ‘bringuvgieVil  tu^on  one  whole  moral 
m-karahter  i s  not  - peVfeft,  is  fo  far'frorri  exhibiting 
-Yteafon'why  the  wicked  ihouid  go.  jonpunifhed, 
fhat  it  rather  inforceth  the  neceffiry  of  their  pu- 
/Fdhment,  ■  Therefore,  that  the  fufferings of  Chrift 
•might  be  -fuck  a  ’manifeftation  of  divine  righte- 
oufnefs  as  would  Open  the  way  £o\  God  to  . appear 
juft  injviftifyjng  the.  ungodly,  it  was  of  abfojute 
kitnoFtance  that  he’hi'mfelf  ibouMbe  without  fin, 
and  that  guile  jfuxlld  not  be  fofind  in  his  mouth. 

.  Then  his  taking  the  curfe  upon  himlelf,  and  the 
Father's  laying  it  on  him,  will  be  io  bright  a  cif- 

1  lay  or  divine  rightecufnefs,-  as  #5  render  God’s 

yfiupmi  »&.  uM  not,..  .urn;  ,  regardq 

.  *  Ijaiah,  53.  6,  10.^ 


CHAP.  V. 


H 

regard  to  law,  to  .good  order  and  government, 
glorioufly  confpicuous  in  the:exercife  of  mercy  to 
Rich  as  penitently  fly  for  refuge  to  the  Saviour  of 
the  world. 

If  it  be  admitted,  that  God’s  regard  particularly 
to  the  penal  part  of  his  law  was  defignedly  mant- 
fe, fled  in  the  fufferings  and  death  of  Chrift ;  it  is 
eafy  to  fee  that  this  regard  to  the  law  would  tie* 
come  confpi'cuous  in  proportion  to  the  dignity 
and  excellency,  of  him  who  fullered.  For,  as  on 
the.  one  hand,  wc  eftiijnate  the  benevolence  that 
is  expreffed  in  •  the  beflowment  of  good,  partly 
by  the  meannefs  and  unworthinefs  of  the  fubjett 
on" w horn  it  ;is  conferred  ;  fo,  on  the  other,  the  de¬ 
gree  of  difpleafure -which  is  expreffed  in  bringing 
eVit, -ft  €ftimited':gready  by  ithe  dignity  and  -ex- 
lency  of  the  perfo'n  on  whom  it  falls.  The  fame 
meafure  of  natural  evil,  the  fame  quantity  of 
paia  is.  expreffive  of  very  different  degrees  of 
tiifpieafure,  according  to  me  difference  of  Cha- 
radeef  :ahd  dignify1  -in  1  the'-  perfbn  on  whom  it '  is 
lnfiiifeed.  For  a  Kind  t6  idiprifo'n  his  Son  for  a 
crime,  awes  his .fubjeas  rriorF  tliafi  the  execution 
of  a  common  felon,  and  may  do  nridrC  to  effablifli  his 
authority,  and  gain  refpedl  to  !>is  government. 
The  reafon  is,  that  his  regards.  to  the  rights  of 
liis  government  are  more  ftrongiy'  painted  in  the 
former  cafe,  than  in  the  latter.  So  for  God  to 
infiiiSl  pain  upon  a  mere  man,  would  naturally 
exprefs  difpleafure  to  fpe&ators  :  But  in  the  fame 
degree  of  natural  evil  brought  on  him  who  is  his 
‘fellow,  his  anger  would  glow  in  brighter  and 
more  awful  colours,  and  Unite  the  fpedtators  with 
a  reverence  and  fear  which  the  other  inftance 
could  not  beget. 

Therefore, 


74 


CHAP.  V. 


Therefore,  the  abfolute  perfection,  as  well 
as  dignity  of  the  moral  character  of  Chrift, 
■when  he  was  about  to  offer  up  his  life  as  a  facri- 
fice  for  the  fins  of  the  world  ■,  were  of  the  utmoft 
importance  to  the  acceptablenefs  of  his  offering, 
and  the  manifeftation  it  was  neceffary  fhould  be 
fnade  of  God’s  righteous  difpleafure  againft  thofe 
for  whom  he  died.  For  without  this  abfblute 
perfection,  and  high  dignity,  of  the  character  of 
the  Saviour,  his  death  on  the  crofs  would  not 
have  been  a  glafs  in  which  the  divine  purity  could 
have  been  difcovered  with  fuflicient  clearnefs, 
while  he  exercifed  mercy  toward  finners. 

3.  The  perfect  obedience  of  Chrifl,  and  that 
even  unto  death,  and  the  fpotlefs  purity  of  his 
moral  character,  were  abfolutely  neceffary  to  pre* 
pare  him  for  interceding  with  the  Father  for 
linners. 

The  dignity  and  excellency  of  the  interceffer’s 
character,  add  weight,  and  give  importance  to 
}iis  intercefiion.  It  is  more  honourable  to  a 
Prince  to  pardon,  upon  the  intercefiion  of  fome 
jlluftrious  perfon,  than  on  that  of  one  of  his  me¬ 
nial  fervants.  And  when  the  penalty  for  the  re- 
mifiion  of  which  intercefiion  is  made,  is  perfectly 
deferred  ;  and  the  honour  of  the  fovereign  is 
concerned  in  teftifying  againft  it)  it  is  neceffary 
that  the  intercefiion  itfelf  ihould  carry  in  it  the 
fulleft  acknowledgments,  both  of  the  righteoui- 
nefs  of  the  judge,  and  the  juftice  of  the  punifti- 
ment.  For  without  this  the  intercefiion  itfelf 
might  juftly  be  interpreted  as  a  reflection  on  the 
£  vereign,  and  a  vindication  of  the  criminal. 
This  being  the  cafe  the  interceffor  naturally,  in 
borne  fenfe,  puts  on  the  character  arid  takes  the 
pbce  01  aun  who  is  condemned. 


But 


CHAP.  V. 


75 


But  when  we  confider  the  glorious  and  infi¬ 
nite  maj.edy  of  God,  on  one  hand  ■,  and  the  ex¬ 
treme  guilt  and  inexpreffible  vilenefs  of  the  (in¬ 
ner,  on  the  other ;  we  can’t  but  fee  the  abfolute 
importance  of  the  fulled  acknowledgments,  both 
of  God’s  righteoufnefs,  and  the  finner’s  guilt, 
in  him  who  fteps  in  as  a  mediator  between  them ; 
however  dignified  he  be  in  his  own  perfonal  cha¬ 
racter.  None  but  a  perfon  of  the  mod  exalted 
character  would  be  equal  to  the  weight  of  fuch  a 
mediation.  And  one  who  fuitably  edimated  the 
infinitely  different  characters,  qualities  and  dati- 
ons  of  the  beings,  between  whom  he  was  to  me¬ 
diate  a  peace,  would  never  prefume  to  appear 
before  the  great  God  without  the  fulled  teftimo- 
nials  of  a  high  and  perfect  fenfe  of  the  divine 
righteoufnefs  on  one  hand,  and  the  extreme  guilt 
and  wickednefs  of  the  finner,  on  the  other.  But 
how  could  thefe  teftimonials  be  fo  well  obtained, 
and  where  could  fuch  views  in  the  Saviour,  both 
of  God’s  righteoufnefs,  and  the  finner’s  guilt,  be 
fo  drongly  painted,  as  in  his  obedience  unto 
death,  and  that  even  the  death  of  the  crofs  ?  in 
this  view  of  the  matter,  nothing  like  the  death 
fcf  Chrid,  could  pave  the  way  for  him  to  the  Fa¬ 
ther  :  And  nothing  like  his  own  blood  could  give 
weight  to  his  interceffion. 

For  fo  illudrious  a  perfon  as  the  infinite  Re¬ 
deemer,  to  exemplify  his  regards  to  the  honour 
of  God  and  his  law^  by  a  mod  perfecd  obedience 
under  the  mod  unparalleled  bufferings,  even  unto 
death,  and  his  fenfe  of  the  finner’s  ill  defert,  by 
appearing  before  the  eternal  God  in  his  own  blood ; 
mud  wonderfully  qualify  him  for  fo  important  a, 
mediation ;  and  above  every  thing,  give  weight 
to  his  interceffion.  It  is  no  wonder  that  God 

doe? 


7.6 


dMfb  v. 


does  not  reject  an  inter-ceinoVi  which  does  fuch 
honor  to  his  lav/  and  go'/emme-nt,  and  makes  his 
character  appear  fo  glorious  in  the  exercifes  of 
mercy  to  tinners. 

Thus  we  fee  how  a  perfon  of  Chnft'Y  moll 
excellent  character  prepared  ffimfelf  for  ailing 
the  part  of  an  interceffor.  for  tinners  ;  and  the 
trying  fee nes  he  voluntarily  v/ent  through,  to 
quality  htmfelf  for  fo  weighty  and  important  an 
office.  And  all  this  -was  neceflary  to  render  hini- 
felf  acceptable  in  the  eyes  of  the  Father,  in  cha- 
rafter  of  mediator  ;  and  to  gain  an  audience  in  a 
caufe  of  fuch  a  nature  as  that  which  he  had  un¬ 
dertaken. 

CHAPTER,  VI. 

Showing  the  ends  which  are  anjweredhy  the  suf¬ 
ferings  of  Chrifi  ;  and  what  is  the  language 
and  import  of  them. 

AS  none  of  the  providences  of  God  are  with¬ 
out  their  inffruition  ;  evils  and  .calamities 
have  a  language,  an  import,  as  well  as  other 
difpenfations.  And  if  there  be  a  language  in  the 
fufferings  which  are  brought  on  moral  beings, 
greater  degrees  of  diffrefs  and  pain  are  moreTig- 
nificant  than  fmaller  ones  ;  and  expreffive  of 
higher  emotions  in  him  who  inflicts  them.  Al¬ 
though,  therefore,  it  be  admitted  that  the -end 
and  import  of  the  fufferings  of  CHrift  cannot  be 
collected  merely  from  their  greatnefs  :  this,  how¬ 
ever,  is  a  confiderati-on  which  may  not  be  with¬ 
out  its  ufe,  in.inv.efti gating  a  fubject  of  fo  much 
importance.  Greatnefs  of  fufferings  gives  a  co¬ 
louring  to  things,  which  is  not  found  in  fmaller 

degrees 


CHAP., VI. 


77 


degree?  of  diffrefs :  -and  naturally  raifes  and  .heigh¬ 
tens  tl\e  fotas,  both  with  refpeff  to  the  avenger, 
and  the  patient.  ,  hr. 

Were  the  fnfFe rings  of  Chriff  no  more,  nor 
greater,  than  would  naturally;  and  neceffarily  af- 
fe£t  human,  animal  nature,  in  that  trying  fituati- 
on,  in' which  he  was  placed,  and, in  which  he  ex¬ 
pired  V  they  would  hill'  ’  have  a  language,  an  'im¬ 
port  in'fhem.  But  "were  there  iuperadded  to 
their,  ■peculiar  agonies  and  diffreffes,  this  molt 
furprifiiYg  event  immediately  puts  on  a  diderent  hue 
and/the  language  of  it  is  written  in' deeper  colours. 

Itforder  to  a  clearer  underffanding  of  the  de- 
fign  and  import  of  the  bufferings:  of  Chriff,  It 
may  he  of  ufe  to  attend  particularly  to  the  'dif- 
criptions  given  of  them,  by  the- facred  writers, 

•  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  represented  ; 
that  we  may,  from  thence,  be  enabled  to  form 
dome  eftimate  of  their  weight  and  greatnefs.  ' 

The  whole  life  of  Chriff,  efpeciaily  his  public 
miniftry,  was  a  feene  .  of  labour  and  Tu  fieri  ng,: 
But  at  the  clole  of  it  his  fufferings  became  much 
more  levere  and  intenfe.  Accordingly,  in  regard 
of  /offerings,  this  is  i’poken  of  writh  an  emphafis, 
both  by  Chriff  and  his  Apoffles.  Thus  when  the 
Jews  Laid  violent  hands  on  the  Saviour,  he  fays, 
“  When.  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple,  ye 

ftretched  forth  no  hands  againjl  me  :  but  this 
“  is  your  hour,  and  the  .power  of  darkne/s  here¬ 
by  intimating  that  now  he  was  in  a  peculiar  man¬ 
ner  given  up  into  the  hands  of  the  powers  of 
darkneis.  For  this  reafon  it  manifeftly  was  that 
the  profped  of  what  he  had  to  endure  when  he 
was  to  make  his  foul  an  offering  for  fin,  was  fo 

extremely 

*  Luke,  22,  5  j. 


CHAP.  VI. 


7S 

extremely  trying  and  affedting  to  him.  This  laft 
trying  and  affediing-  feerve  appeared  to  lie  with 
great  and  peculiar  weight  on  the  Saviour’s  mind  : 
And  he  ever  fpoke  of  it  with  peculiar  feelings 
and  emotion.  When  he  told  his  difciples  rhat  he 
came  to  fet  fire  on  the  earth,  he  immediately 
adds,  <£  but  I  nave  a  baptifmto  be  baptifed  with, 
€t  and  how  am  I  fir  aliened  till  it  be  accomplijhed.”  * 
Accordingly,  when  he  went  into  the  garden 
■where  he  was.  taken  by  his  enemies,  though  juft 
before  hepoftelTed  the  utmoft  compofnre,  he  was 
immediately  feized  with  horror,  and  laid  to  his 
difciples,  “  my  foul  is  exceeding  forrowful  even 
“  unto  dcatb::[\  And  this  forrow  broke  forth  into 
this  earnefl,  pathetic  cry,  “  O  my  Father,  if  it 
*'  be  pofiible-,  let  this  cup  pafs  from  me.”  But 
that  it  might  not  be  thought  that  his  fpirit  failed 
him,  and  that  his  foul  fhrunk  back  from  the, fuf- 
ferings  it  was  neceffary  he  fnould  endure*  he  im¬ 
mediately  adds,  ct  the  fpirit  indeed  is  willing,  but 
"  the flefi  is  weak.”1  This  feene  is  propheti¬ 
cally  deicribed,  by  the  Pfalniift,  in  the  follow¬ 
ing  manner,  “  The  forrows  of  death  compafled 
“  me,  and  the  pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me : 
“  I  found  trouble  and  forrow.  Then  I  called 
“  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  j  O  Lord,  I  be- 
feech  thee,  deliver  my  foul.”3  One  Evangelift 
relates  that,  upon  his  coming  into  the  garden, 
“  he  began  to  fce  fore  amazed,  and  to  be  very 
fe  heavy.”4  And,  another,  that  upon  his  earned: 
cry  for  deliverance  if  it  might  be  the  will  of 
God,  an  Angel  was  fent  to  him  from  heaven,  to 
lupport  and  {Lengthen  him  under  his  diftrefles : 
And,  that  he  -was  in  agony  in  his  prayer,  and  his 
Jweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down 

to 

*  Luke,  12.  50.  1  Matt.  26.  3S,  39,41.  5  /*/.  1 16.  3,4. 

4  Mark,  14.  33. 


CHAP.  VI. 


79 


to  the  ground. 1  Soon  upon  this,  his  enemies  came 
upon  him,  being  conduced  to  the  place  of  his  re¬ 
tirement  by  one  of  his  profefled  friends,  and  took 
him  by  violence,  and  carried  him  before  the  rulers, 
where  he  fuffered  the  grafted  indignity  and  abufe. 
Here  he  was  treated  with  the  utmoft  derifion  and 
contempt ;  mocked,  fpit  upon,  and  cruelly  fmit- 
ten.  Finally,  after  fentence  of  death  had  been 
paded.  upon  him,  he  was  led  out  of  the  city,  and, 
like  the  vileft  malefactors,  nailed  to  the  crofs. 
There  after  he  had  hung  a  number  of  hours  on 
the  accurfed  tree,  and  endured  the  fore  revilings 
and  cruel  taunts  of  his  enemies ;  as  if  given  up 
of  God  himfelf,  in  whom  he  had  ever  trufted, 
he  pathetically  cries  out,  <c  my  God,  my  God, 
why  haft  thou  forfaken  me?1  Upon  this,  nature 
itfelf  finking  under  fo  dreadful  a  weight,  the 
mighty  Redeemer  bowed  his  forrowful  head,  and 
gave  up  the  ghoft.  The  affeCting  defcription 
given  us  by  the  Pfalmift,  of  thefe  unparalelled 
fufferings,  may  aflift  us  in  judging  of  their  na¬ 
ture,  and  eftimating  their  greatnefs.  After  this 
manner  they  are  prophetically  defcribed  ;  “  my 
“  God,  my  God,  why  haft  thou  forfaken  me  ? 
tc  why  art  thou  fo  far  from  helping  me,  and  from 
Cf  the  words  of  my  roaring  ?  O  my  God,  I  cry 
<c  in  the  day  time,  hut  thou  hearefi  not ;  and  in 
“  the  night  feafon,  and  am  not  filent.  But  thou 
<c  art  holy,  O  thou  that  inhabiteft  the  praifes  of 
<e  Ifrael.  Our  fathers  trufted  in  thee,  they  truft- 
<c  ed,  and  thou  didft  deliver  them.  They  cried 
cc  unto  thee,  and  were  delivered :  they  trufted  in 
<c  thee,  and  were  not  confounded.  But  1  am 
“  a  wormt  and  no  man  j  a  reproach  of  men  and 
(C  defpifed  of  the  people.  All  they  that  fee  me, 
<e  laugh  me  to  fcorn  :  they  Ihoot  out  the  lip,  they 

M  fhake 

•  Luke ,  22.  43,  44,  4  Mat.  27,  46. 


to  CHAP.  VT. 

e<  fhake  the  head,  faying,  he  trailed' on  the  Lord 
f  that  he  would  deliver  him  :  let  him  deliver  him, 

feeipg  he  delighted  in  him - 1  am  poured  out 

Ci  like  water,  and  all  my  bones  are  out  of  joint : 
£C  My  heart  is  like  wax,  it  is  melted  in  the  midfi  of 
cc  iny  how  els.  My  ftrength  is  dried  up  like  apot- 
a  fherd  :  my  tongue  cleaveth  to  my  jaws;  and 
tc  fhou  haft  brought  me  into  the  dull  of  death.”1 

Ov  this  defcription  of  the  fufferings  of  Chrift, 
vve  remark. 

3.  That  it  naturally  reprefents  his  mifery 
as  being  exceedingly  great.  Language  can  hard¬ 
ly  paint  a  fcene  more  full  of  horror  and  diftrefs ; 
or  rcprefent  more  keen  and  pungent  anguifn. 
No  account  is  given  us,  in  any  part  of  the  Ta-cred 
writings,  of  fufferings  to  be  compared  with  thofe 
of  the  Lord  of  glory.  Admitting  the  defcription 
to  be  juft,  arid  without  a  figure  ;  we  muff  necef- 
Larilv  fuppofe  that  pain  and  lorrow  arofe  to  fuch  a 
height,  in  the  man  Jefus  Chrift,  as  is  beyond  the 
power  of  a  mere  human  mind  to  receive. 

0.  The  above  defcription  evidently  reprefents 
the  fufferings  of  Chrift  as  being  peculiarly  great, 
and,  attended  with  fome  fmgular  circumftances 
which  gave  an  edge  to  his  forrow.  The  amaze- 
merit  which  took  hold  on  him  before  the  arrival 
of  his  enemies,  the  agony  into  which  he  fell  while 
in  the  garden,  and  his  repeated  and  fervent  im- 
portun'kifeS  that  the  cup  he  was  about  to  drink 
might  ifpajfi-ble,  pafs.from  him ;  are,  all,  indica¬ 
tions  of  evils  in  profpett,  far  greater  than  thofe 
of  a  mere  reparation  of  foul  and  body.  But  juft 
before,  he  appeared  with  great  calmnefs  and 
compofllre,  inftituting  the  facrament  of  the  fup- 
per,  and  communing  with  his  difciples  in  it. 

But, 

1  Pj.  22  I—1J. 


CHAP.  VI. 


But,  in  a  few  moments,  without  any  vifible  caufe 
from  any  difference  of  external  circumltances,  he 
difcovers  great  perturbation  offpirit;  and,  was 
in  fuch  agony  of  mind  as  was  too  much  for  na¬ 
ture  to  bear.  This  mu  ft,  certainly,  have  arifen 
from  fome  invifible  caufe  nor  1  can  it  be  ac¬ 
counted  for  any  otherwife  than  by  fuppofing  that 
it  arole  from  the  immediate  hand  of  God.  Tlaefe 
circumltances  would  naturally  fuggell  to  the  dif- 
ciples,that  there  was  fomething  far  more  trying  to 
the  mighty  Saviour,  in  that  fcene  of  bufferings 
that  was  before  him,  than  either  the  mere  indig¬ 
nity  he  fullered  from  men,  or  the  pangs  of  natu¬ 
ral  death.  The  pains  of  death  were,  foon  after, 
fuffered  by  his  difciples,  without  any  fuch  com¬ 
plaint  :  And,  the  profpeft  of  fuffering  death  for 
the  fake  of  Chrift,  and  in  his  caufe,  was  fp  far 
from  being  terrifying  and  diftreffmg,  that  it  was 
rather  joyful  and  comforting  to  them.  Accor¬ 
dingly,  when  the  Lord  feat  Ananias,  to Saul;J  af¬ 
terwards  called  Paul,  to  perform  a  miraculous 
cure  upon  him.;  he  cells  him,  that  this  Saul  was 
a  chofen  veffel  unto  the  Lord,  to  bear  his  name 
among  the  gentiles  ;  and  fays,  ”  I  will  .Lew  him 
ec  how  great  things  he  muft  fiuffer  for  my  name’s 
fake.”1  The  ftrong  crying  and  tears,  there¬ 
fore,  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  mighty  agonies  into 
which  he  fell  before  his  death  ;  together  with  his 
mp  ft  a  hefting  exclamation  on  the  crofs,  ”  My 
God,  my  God,  why  halt  thou  forfaken  me  !” 
when  compared  with  the  patience,  ferenity  and 
fortitude  with  which  his  difciples  afterward  fuf 
fered  death .  for  his  fake  ;  mu.ft  ftrongly  indicate 
diftrefs  and  pains  peculiar  to  Urn  who  made  his 
foul  an  offering  for  fin .  Be  the  occafion,  orefpe- 
;ial  realon  of  thefe.iijfff rings  what  it  may,  it  is 

nevertheiefs 

*  Alts,  9,  s6. 


82 


CHAP.  VI. 


neverthelefs  manifeft  that  there  was  fomethir.g 
very  peculiar  in  the  fufferings  themfelves ;  and 
that  they  had  an  unparrallelled  ftiarpnefs  in  them. 
What  can  be  more  difhonourable  to  the  character 
and  dignity  of  Chrift,  efpecially  as  he  is  held 
forth  as  the  moft  perfect  pattern  of  meeknefs,  and 
patience  under  fufferings  ;  than  to  fuppofe  his 
-diftrefs  and  anguifh  did  not  rife  to  an  height  far 
exceeding  any  thing  that  was  ever  endured  by  a 
mere  man  ?  We  have  no  other  way  to  reconcile 
his  bitter  cries  and  complaints,  with  that  patience, 
that  quiet  refignation  for  which  he  is  fo  much  ce¬ 
lebrated  in  the  word  of  God  ;  than  by  magnify¬ 
ing  his  fufferings,  and  heightening  our  ideas  of 
their  weight  and  greatnefs.  / 

3-  It  is,  therefore,  natural  to  fuppofe  that  the 
principal  pains  endured  by  the  Lord  of  glory,  in 
that  hour  of  darknefs,  were  feated  particularly 
in  his  mind — that  the  views  of  mind  which  then 
poffeffed  him,  were  far  more  diftreffing  than  the 
pains  of  mere  animal,  fenfitive  nature.  If  that 
forfaking  him  of  God  which  occafioned  his  bitter 
exclamation  on  the  crofs,  was  merely  his  being 
given  up  into  the  power  of  wicked  men,  to  be 
put  to  death  •,  we  can  flill  fee  nothing  more  dread¬ 
ful  in  it,  than  merely  his  fuffering  the  pains  of 
dying.  We  have,  therefore,  reafon  to  fuppofe 
that  fuch  views  of  things,  fuch  a  fen/e  of  the  aw¬ 
ful  and  terrible  nature  of  divine  wrath,  then 

*  /k 

crouded  in  upon  him,  and  filled  his  pure  and  ho¬ 
ly  mind,  as  quite  overwhelmed  him  with  lorrow ; 
and,  were  far  more  infupport'able  than  the  pangs 
of  natural  death.  Thus,  might  he  be  faid  emi¬ 
nently  to  be  a  man  of  forrows,  and  accquainted  j 
with  grief.  All  the  concomitant  circumftances  of 

his 


r 


CHAP.  VI. 


83 

his  death,  efpecially  when  compared  with  the  be¬ 
haviour  of  his  followers  under  the  fufferings  they 
endured  for  his  fake,  very  naturally  concur  to 
fuggeft  thefe  apprehenfions  concerning  the  luffer- 
ings  of  Chrift. 

Having  thus  taken  a  view  of  the  fufferings 
themfeves  which  our  Lord  underwent;  in  order  to 
underftand  the  language  and  import  of  them,  we 
may,  in  the  firft  place,  confider  the  hand  and 
agency  of  God  in  them ;  and  then,  the  evidence 
we  have  of  their  being  expreffions  of  divine  anger. 

I.  We  may  confider  the  hand  and  agency  of 
God,  in  the  fufferings  of  Chrift.  Though  Chrift 
was  God  as  well  as  tnan>  and  it  was  indeed  GOD 
that  was  manifeft  in  flefh ;  yet  fo  long  as  he  was 
in  the  world  he  adledin  a  fubordinate  capacity,  put 
on  the  form  of  a  fervant,  and  fubjedted  himfelf  to 
the  will  and  government  of  his  Father  who  was  in 
heaven.  Chrift  in  his  whole  perfon,  however 
dignified  by  being  peculiarly  and  eminently  the 
Son  of  God,  was  a  fervant  and  became  obedient. 
And  every  event  and  circumftance  of  his  life  are 
to  be  attributed  to  the  providential  government 
and  difpofal  of  him  who  is  only  God,  as  their 
caufe,  as  truly  and  in  as  high  a  fenfe  as  the  events 
and  circumftances  of  the  lives  of  mere  men. 

On  this  ground  we  obferve, 

1.  That  GOD  brought  on  the  man  Jefus 
Chrift,  all  the  evils  and  fufferings  which  he  endu¬ 
red.  His  hand  and  agency  were  not  lefs  vifible, 
nor  his  power  and  providence  lefs  adtive,  in  bring¬ 
ing  fufferings  and  death  on  his  only  hegotttn  Son , 
than  on  finners  of  mankind.  Nor  indeed  was  the 
governing  providence  of  God  lefs  concurrent  and 

adtive, 


.34 


CHAP.  VT. 


active,  in  bringing  pain  and  diftrefs  on  the  man 
j trills  Chrift,  than  it  is  in  bringing  evils  on  im¬ 
penitent  finners,  either  in  this  world  or  the  world 
to  come.  The  flame  which  confumed  the  life  of 
the  Saviour,  was  as  truly  lighted  up  by  the  power 
of  God  ;  as  that  which  will  torment  his  enemies, 
clay  and  night,  forever  and  ever.  This  is  mani- 
feft,  as  well  from  the  language  in  which  this  event 
is  lpoke-n  of  in  the  word  of  God;  as  from' the  na¬ 
ture  and  reafon  of  things.  Thus  it  is  faid,  JE¬ 
HOVAH  laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all :  And 
it  pleafed  JEHOVAH  to  bruije  him  and  put  him 
to  grief. '  God  alfo  faith,  by  the  prophet,  rela¬ 
tive  to  this  event,  cc  Awake,  O  fword,  againft 
“  my  Shepherd,  and  againft  the  man  that  is  my 
tc  fellow,  faith  the  Lord  of  hofts  :  fmite  the 
<c  fliepherd,  and  the  ftieep  (hall  be  fcattered.”1 
Therefore  the  Apoftle  Peter  acknowledged:  the 
death  of  Chrift  to  be  the  efTe6t  of  the  hand  and 
determinate  counfel  of  God :  And  that  though  men 
crucified  him  with  wicked  hands ,  they  neverthe- 
lefs  did  no  more  than  what  the  hand  and  council  of 
God}  determined  to  be  done . 1 

It  would  be  very  inconfifcent,  both  with  rea¬ 
fon,  and  the  plain  and  natural  import  of  thefe 
fcripture-expreflions,  to  fuppofe  that  he  who  is 
only  God,  the  original  arid  fupreme  Governor  of 
the  world,  fufpended  even  in  the  le.afc  degree, 
that  agency  which  had  Tiimefto  been  unremitted 
and  univerfa!  :  ftept  afide,  and  flood  as  a  mere 
fpeclator  of  this  horrid  fcenp.  If  this,  were  the 
cafe,  how  it  could  before,  with  propriety,  be 
predicted  that  God  Jhould  finite  y  and  bru;fiey  and  put 
him  to  grief  \  and  afterward  be  acknowledged 
that  his  fufferings  and  death  were  the  effedts  of 

the 

'  L/ul.  53.  6,  10.  z  Zachari.  13.  7.  3  A£is,  4.  28. 


CHAP.  VL 


85 

the  hand  and  determinate  counfei  of  God  ;  is  not 
eafy  to  be  comprehended.  Were  it  fo,  that  the 
hand  and  power  of  God  were  lefs  active  in  bring¬ 
ing  thofe  evils  on  Chrift,  than  in  any  other  evils 
brought  on  moral  beings  :  it  is  not  eafy  to  fee 
why  Chrift,  who,  in  charadter  of  mediator,  al¬ 
ways  confidered  himfelf  as  a  fervant,  and  ac¬ 
knowledged  fubjedtion  to  God,  Ihould  yet  cry 
to  Him  for  help  and  deliverance.  It  is  evident, 
therefore,  that  whatever  evils  were  endured  by 
Chrift,  were  from  the  hand  of  that  God  between 
whom  and  men  he  adted  as  mediator  :  All  the 
fufferings  he  endured,  were  from  Hr  adtive  power 
and  providence  ■,  they  were  as  much  from  the 
hand  of  God,  as  any  evils  that  were  ever  brought 
on  any  of  the  human  race. 

2.  All  the  condudt  of  God,  in  his  providen¬ 
tial  government  over  his  creatures,  is  exprefiive, 
and  hath  a  language  in  it.  None  of  the  provi¬ 
dences  of  God  are  without  meaning  ;  but  are  all 
inftrudiive  and  fignificant.  They  exhibit  the 
fame  uniform  and  glorious  charadter  that  is  held 
up  in  his  word.  The  fame  purpofes  and  defigns, 
the  fame  molt  perfedt  and  excellent  difpofition, 
which  are  expreffed  in  words ,  in  the  holy  ferip- 
tures,  are  delineated  and  exemplified  in  fatds,  in 
his  providential  government.  The  divine  cha¬ 
radter  is  deferibed  in  words ,  in  the  facred  oracles ; 
and  exhibited  in  fadts  in  his  providence  and  works . 
And  the  charadter  itfelf  is  not  lefs  legible,  nor  its 
excellencies  lefs  vifible  or  conlpicuous,  in  the 
latter  than  in  the  former.  The  real  charadter, 
the  general  difpofition  of  the  divine  mind,  is  not 
lefs  obvious  in  what  he  does,  than  in  what  he  Jays  : 
Nor  could  it  eafily  be  accounted  for  that  it  (hould 
be  otherwife,  while  one  great  end  of  his  word  is, 

to 


86 


CHAP.  VI. 


to  explain  the  reafons  of  his  conduct — the  rule 
of  his  providential  government.  And  as  the 
glory  of  God  really  appears  in  the  perfed  cor- 
refpondence  of  his  adual  government,  with  thofe 
laws  of  his  kingdom  which  are  taught  us  in  his 
word ;  fo,  every  part  of  the  divine  condud  to¬ 
ward  intelligent  creatures,  exprdTeth  the  fame 
general  charader  v/hich  is  marked  out  ia  the  pro- 
mifes  and  threatnings  of  revelation. 

3.  This  being  the  cafe,  it  is  manifefl  that 
there  is  no  part  of  the  divine  condud  toward 
moral  creatures,  but  what  is  expreflive,  either 
of  his  approbation  of  right eoujnejs,  or  hatred  of  ini¬ 
quity.  It  is  the  glory  of  God  that  he  loves  right- 
eoufnefs,  and  hates  iniquity.  This  is  abfolutely 
effential  to  his  goodnefs  and  love.  Without  this, 
his  difpofition  to  promote  the  general  and  the 
greateft  good,  could  not  poflibly  be  perfed. 
And  if  fuch  a  difpofition  as  this  wholly  pofiefies 
and  fills  the  divine  mind,  there  can  be  no  part 
of  the  divine  condud  but  what  is  expreflive  of  it. 
It  muft  be  that,  in  all  the  good,  and  the  evil, 
which  he  brings  on  the  fubjeds  of  his  moral  go¬ 
vernment,  he  invariably  exhibits  this  mod  pure 
and  perfed  goodnefs  :  adjufting  all  his  providen¬ 
tial  difpenfations  in  fuch  a  manner,  and  in  fuch 
perfed  wifdom,  as  naturally  to  carry  the  marks 
of  it;  and  fenfibly  to  exprefs,  to  rational  beings, 
either  his  approbation  of  virtue,  or  his  hatred 
of  vice. 

This  brings  us  to  fhow,  in  the  next  place, 

II.  That  the  fufferings  and  death  of  Chrift 
were  expreffions  of  divine  anger. 


Thiri 


CHAP.  VL 


87 


There  is  nothing  in  the  word  of  God  to  lead 
us  to  fuppofe  that  evils  brought  on  moral  beings 
are  not,  in  every  inftance,  expreftive  of  divine 
anger ;  but  a  variety  of  things  that  evidently 
prove  the  contrary.  For, 

1.  The  law  and  the  promife  of  God,  fecure 
the  innocent  from  every  pofmve  evil,  every  in¬ 
felicity  which  doth  not  neceffarily  refult  from  the 
mere  natural  imperfe&ion  of  the  creature.  The 
word  of  God  is  full  of  promifes  to  the  righteous  ; 
and  there  is  no  mention  any  where  made  of  evil, 
but  in  cafe  of  tranfgreffion.  God  blejjed  our  drib 
parents  in  their  eftate  of  innocency  \  and  gave  not 
the  leaf;  intimation  of  any  evil  that  fhould  befall 
them,  unlefs  they  rebelled  againft  him.  Such 
was  the  nature  of  the  covenant,  the  tenour  of  the 
law,  under  which  they  were  placed,  that  it  ab- 
folutely  fecured  them  from  every  pofitive  evil  s 
and  particularly  from  fo  great  an  evil  as  natural 
dmfh3  in  cafe  they  perfifted  in  their  obedience. 
Therefore  the  Apoftie  confidets  temporal  death 
as  a  certain  proof  that  the  fubjeCl  of  it  is  a  finner. 
He  lays,  “  Wherefore  as  by  one  man  Jin  entered 
“  into  the  world,  and  death  by  fin ;  and  fo  death 
“  hath  paffed  upofi  all  men,  for  that  all  have 
<c  finned .” 1  As  fm  brought  death  into  the  world, 
fo  this'  ftill  gives  it  univerfal  dominion.  As  it 
was  originally  a  teftimony  of  divine  anger,  it  ftill 
continues  to  be  fo.  That  death  is  a  curfe  is  evi¬ 
dent  from  this,  if  nothing  elfe,  that  the  death  of 
Chrijl  is  brought,  by  the  infpired  Apoftie,  as  a 
proof  that  he  became  a  curfe.* 

But  it  is  evident  that  the  law  of  God  fecures 
the  innocent,  not  only  from  death,  but  from 

N  every 

*  Ram .  5.  J2.  2  See  Galat ,  3.  13, 


CHAP.  VI. 


every  other  pofitive  evil.  The  Apoftle  faith, 
<c  Now  to  him.  that  worketh,  is  the  reward  not 
<c  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt,”3  Where 
the  obedience  is  perfeft,  the  reward  is  due  by 
law  ;  the  law,  under  which  man  was  originally 
placed,  fecures  it ;  and  it  is  not  conudered  as  an 
aft  of  grace  to  confer  it.  And  if  the  reward  here 
fpoken  of  implies  a  deliverance  from  all  pofitive 
evils,  andafecurity  againft  them  ;  if  it  intends  a 
happinefs  as  complete  as  the  natural  imperfefiidn 
of  the  creature  v/ill  admit  ;  then,  of  courfe,  the 
law,  the  eftabli fhed  rule  of  divine  government, 
certainly  fecures  the  innocent  from  every  fuch 
evil  ;  and  aicertains  to  him  all  pofhble  good. 
Put  if  the  divine  law  thus  protefts  the  innocent, 
and  fecures  him  againffc  evil  ,  then  all  pofitive 
evils  brought  on  moral  beings,  muff  certainly 
proclaim  divine  anger,  and  prove  that  fome  ini¬ 
quity  hath  taken  place. 

If  the  law  of  God  doth  not  certainly  fecure 
the-  innocent  from  all  evils  ;  if  there  are  evils  to 
which  fuch  may  be  expofed  and  fubjefted,  which, 
neyerthele.fs,  are  not  the  objefts  of  a  cnrje,  and 
that  too  the  curfe  of  God’s  law  ;  there  is  no  fe- 
curity  that  they  who  are  redeemed,  by  Chrijl  fh all 
ever  be  delivered  from  all  evil  ;  becaufe  his  re¬ 
demption  is  effeftual  to  deliver  only  from  the  curfe 
of  the  law.  Chrift  hath  redeemed  his  people 
from  the  airje  of  the  law-,  but  from  no  other 
evils  than  fuch  as  they  are  doomed  to  by  this  curfe. 
If,  therefore,  the, /sty  doth  not  fecure  the  inno¬ 
cent  from  evil  and  bufferings,  neither  doth  the 
go/pel,  the  believer.  And,  of  courfe^  if  natural 
evils  and  bufferings  are  not  invariable  teftimonies 
of  divine  difpleaiurc  j  we  neither  fhould  have 

>.  •  had 

3  Rom.  4.  4. 


CHAP.  VI. 


89 


had  a  ny  fecurity  a  gain  (I  them,  had  we  remained 
innocent  j  nor  can  we  now  obtain  any  fecurity 
againft  them  by  being  interested  in  the  redemption 
■pur chafed  by  Chrifi.  Yet  we  iind  it  exprefsly  de¬ 
clared,  concerning  thofe  who  are  redeemed  by 
Chrift,  that  cc  God  fhall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
“  their  eyes  ;  and  there  fhall  be  no  more  death , 
(i  neither  forrow,  nor  crying,  neither  fhall  there 

be  any  more  pain  for  the  former  things  are 
“  palled  away.”1  Accordingly, 

2.  Positive  evils,  we  find,  are  invariably 

the  fubjedts  of  a  threat, ning  :  with  rhefe  God 
threatens  his  enemies.  There  is  no  evil  to  which 
human  nature  is  fubjedted  in  the  prefent  world, 
or  to  which  men  are  expofed  in  the  future,  but 
what  is  comprifed  in  fome  one  of  the  threatnings 
of  the  word  of  God.  Therefore,  though  peace  and 
happinefs  are  promifed  to  the  righteous,  the  Lord 
proclaims,  (c  Wo  unto  the  wicked,  it  fhall  be  ill 
cc  with  him  ;  for  the  reward  of  his  hands  fnall  be 
cc  given  him.”1  And,  it  is  of  great  importance 
that  we  view  the  liibjedt  in  this  light,  in  order 
that  we  may  be  convinced,  that  the  evils  we  dif¬ 
fer  in  this  life,  are  indeed  fo  many  tefl'imonies  of 
God’s  righteous  difpleafure  againft  us.  God  ne¬ 
ver  threatens  evils  excepting  in  the  cafes  of  of¬ 
fence  ;  and,  never  brings  evils  in  the  execution 
of  the  great  and  original  laws  of  his  kingdom 
but  on  thofe  who  tranfgrefs.  And,  if  this  be  true, 
it  manifeftly  proves  that  all  poftive  evils  are  cer^ 
tain  expreffions  of  divine  anger.  But, 

3.  The  holy.  Scriptures  clearly  and  very  evi¬ 
dently  teach  us  that  the  fufterings  and  death 
of  Chrift  were  expreffions  of  divine  anger.  By 
the  Prophet  Zechariah,  God  calls  upon  his  fword 

to 

*  Rev.  21,  4.  a  Ifai.  3.  11, 


CHAP.  VI. 


99 

to  awake  againft  Chrift,  and  ccmmiffions  it  to 
take  away  his  life  in  the  following  words,  “Awake, 
“  O  fword,  againft  my  fhepherd,  and  againft 
“  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  faith  the  Lord  of 
“  hofts  :  Jmite  the  fnepherd,  and  the  fheep  fhall 
“  be  fcattered — -”1  That  Chrift  is  the  fhep¬ 
herd  here  fpoken  of,  is  evident  from  this,  that  he 
was  many  times  prophefied  of  under  that  title ;  and 
frequently  ftiled  himfelf  the  Jhepherd,  the  true 
Jhepherd ,  while  he  was  upon  earth ;  and  had  that 
title  often  given  him,  by  the  Apoftles,  after  his 
afcenfion.  And,  that  the  words  under  confide- 
ration  had  reference  to  the  death  of  Chrift,  and 
were  an  exprefs  prediction  of  it,  is  manifeft  from 
the  application  which  he,  himfelf,  makes  of  them, 
on  the  night  on  which  he  was  betrayed.  When 
Chrift  went  out  to  the  mount  of  Olives,  after  the 
inftitution  of  the  facramental  fupper,  he  fays  to  his 
difciples  “  All  ye  fhall  be  offended  becaufe  of  me 
“  this  night :  for  it  is  written,  I  will  finite  the 
<f  fhepherd,  and  the  fheep  of  the  flock  fhall  be 
“  fcattered:”1  And  this  we  find  no  where  written 
but  in  the paffage  before  us.  Here,  then,  God  calls 
upon  his  own  fword  to  awake  againft  Chrift,  and 
to  finite  him.  And,  this  is  evidently  the  language, 
the  expreffion,  of  righteous  indignation.  God’s 
Jword  is  that  by  which  he  executes  vengeance : 
As  the  jus  gladii  among  the  Romans,  the  /word 
of  the  civil  magiftrate,  means  his  authority  to  ex¬ 
ecute  punifhments.  Thereforethe  Pfalmift  faith, 
<c  God  judgeth  the  righteous,  and  God  is  angry 
“  with  the  wicked  every  day.  If  he  turn  not, 

(that  is,  if  the  wicked  turn  not,)  he  (God,) 
“  will  whet  his  Jword ;  he  hath  bent  his  bow, 
<c  and  made  it  ready.  Fie  hath  alfo  prepared  for 

“  him 

’  Zccbar.  13.  7.  1  Matt.  z6.  31, 


CHAP.  VI. 


9* 

“  him  the  inftrument  of  death  :  he  ordaineth  his 
“  arrows  again (l  theperfecutors.” 1  And  the  Apof- 
tle  urgeth  the  fear  of  the  civil  magiflrate  on  this 
confideradon  that  he  “  beareth  not  the  Jword  in 
t£  vain,  but  is  the  minifter  of  God,  a  revenger  to 
cc  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doth  evil.”2 
Hence  it  is  evident  that  God’s  Jword  is  ufedin  the 
execution  of  vengeance :  Nor,  is  it  ever  made 
life  of  in  any  other  way.  The  Jword  he  made  ufe 
of,  when  he  fmote  Chrift,  was  more  efpecially, 
the  cruel  and  perfidious  Jews.  Accordingly,  we 
find  that  David  ftiles  wicked  men  God’s  Jword, 
Thus  he  prays,  “  Arife,  O  Lord,  difappoint  him, 
£S  caft  him  down  5  deliver  my  foul  from  th twick- 
il  ed  which  is  thy  Jword .”3  And  this  prayer,  we 
have  reafon  to  fuppofe,  David  made  in  the  Spirit, 
perfonating  Chrift,  of  whom  he  was  an  eminent 
type.  And,  the  prayer  itfelf  is  the  fame,  for 
fubftance,  which  Chrift,  in  his  own  peri'on,  made 
when  he  cried,  if  it  be  pcjfble  let  this  cup  pcfs 
from  me.  Thus  God  made  ufe  of  wicked  men  as 
his  fword  againft  Chrift,  to  finite  him  and  take 
away  his  life. 

In  like  manner  God  had,  before,  made  ufe  of 
the  Affyrians  as  his  rod  to  corredl  and  chaftife 
the  people  of  Ifrael.  In  fuch  language  as  this 
doth  the  Prophet  foretel  the  evils  which  God  was 
about  to  bring  upon  his  people  by  the  hand 
of  the  proud  Affyrians ;  ci  Q  Affyrian,  the  rod 
,e  of  mine  anger ,  and  the  ftaff  in  their  hand  is 
60  mine  indignation.  I  will  fend  him  againft  an  hy- 
,:c  pocrincal  nation  ;  and  againft  the  people  of  my 

<£  wrath  will  I  give  him  a  charge - to  tread 

*e  them  down  like  the  mire  of  the  ftreets.”41 
When,  therefore,  God  makes  ufe  of  the  fame  in- 

ftrumentSj 

*  Pf.  7.  it,  13.  1  Rom.  13.  4.  3  Pf.  17.  13. 

*  Ifni .  10.  5,  6. 


£2 


CHAP.  VI. 


ftruments,  wicked  men ,  in  bringing  evil  upon 
Chrift  that  he  had,  again  and  again,  made  ufe  of 
in  executing  his  wrath;  when  they  are  exprefs- 
ly  called  his  /word,  which  is  never  drawn  but  for 
the  execution  of  vengeance;  And,  when  this 
fword  is  exprefsly  called  up  by  God  himfelf,  and 
commifiioned  to  finite  Chrift  ;  the  whole  rule 
and  analogy  of  divine  difpenfation,  and  every 
concurring  circumftance,  lead  us  to  view  this  af- 
tonifhing  event  as  an  awful  manifeftation  of  divine 
difpleafure.  All  thefe  confiderations  being  taken 
fully  into  view,  if  we  cannot  read  the  holy  anger  of 
God  in  the  death  of  Jefus  Chrift,  it  will  be  diffi¬ 
cult  to  determine  that  this  is  written  in  legible 
characters,  in  any  evil  that  God  has  ever  yet 
brought  upon  men. 

But,  further,  we  are  exprefsly  told  that  Chrift 
was  made  a  curje.  The  Apoftle  fays  cc  Chrift  hath 
<c  redeemed  us  from  t  he  curfe  of  of  the  law,  being 
ec  made  a  curje  for  us ;  for  it  is  written,  Cur  fed  is 
<c  every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree.”1  Thefe 
words  plainly  fuppofe  that  the  fufferings  of  Chrift 
on  the  tree,  were  a  fruit  and  manifeftation  of  di¬ 
vine  anger.  For, 

i.  The  curfe  that  Chrift  fuffiered,  or  was 
made,  was  none  other  than  the  curfe  of  God. 
The  words  which  the  Apoftle  quotes  in  proof  of 
Chrift’s  being  made  a  curfe,  are  thefe,  For  he 
that  is  hanged ,  (on  a  tree)  .is  accurjed  of  God. 
And,  if  Chrift’s  being  crucified,  and  hanged  on 
a  tree,  are  a  proof  that  he  was  made  a  curfe  s 
they  are  equally  a  proof  that  the  curfe  which  he 
was  made,  was  the  curfe  of  God .  For,  every  one 
that  was  hanged  on  a  tree,  was  accurfed  of  God  ; 
Chrift’s  being  hung  upon  a  tree  was  a  proof  that 

he 

1  Gala!.  3,  13. 


CHAP.  VI. 


93 


he  was  made  a  curfe  ;  and  therefore,  a  proof  that, 
if  he  was  made  any  curfe,  it  was  the.  curfe  of  God- — 
if  he  fuffered,  or  endured  any  curfe ,  he  fuffered 
and  endured  the  curfe  of  God. 

2.  We  know  of  no  other  curfe  of  God,  than 
what  is  threatned  in  his  holy  law.  God  in- 
fiifts,  or  executes,  no  curfes  but  fuch  as  are 
denounced  in  his  law.  The  holy  fcriptures, 
certainly,  know  of  no  other  curfe,  and  treat 
of  no  other  curfes  that  are  ever,  either  de¬ 
nounced,  or  executed,  by  the  Deity,  than  thofe 
which  are  penalties  of  the  law,  and  with  which 
the  breakers  of  the  law  are  threatned. 

Therefore, 

3.  Christ’s  buffering  the  curfe  of  God,  was 
his  buffering  the  curfe  of  the  law.  If  Chrift  en¬ 
dured  the  curfe  of  God,  and  the  holy  fcriptures 
know  of  no  other  curfe  of  God  than  the  curfe  of 
the  law  :  it  plainly  follows  that  Chrift  endured, 
of  was  made,  the  curfe  of  the  law.  And  that 
it  was  the  curfe  of  the  law  that  Chrift  was  made, 
is  manifeftly  implied  in  the  words  under  confider- 
ation.  The  Apoftle  faith  that  Chrift  hath  re¬ 
deemed  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law ,  being  made 
a  curfe  for  us.  He  was  then  treating  of  the  curfe 
of  the  law  and  no  other  :  He  had  juft  laid  that  as 
many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law ,  are  under 
the  curfe.  And  then  afferts,  that  it  is  from  the 
curfe  of  the  law  that  Chrift  hath  redeemed  us. 
From  this  curfe  Chrift  redeems  his  people  by  be  ¬ 
ing  made  a  curfe  for  them  :  Which  evidently  im¬ 
plies  that  it  was  the  curfe  of  the  law  that  Chrift 
was  made.  There  is  not  here  given  the  leaft 
hint  of  any  other  curfe  ;  nor  any  thing  faid  to 
lead  the  thoughts  to  any  other,  or  luggeft  the 
.moft  diftant  idea  of  any  other.  And  as  an  evi¬ 
dence 


94 


CHAP.  VI. 


dence  that  Chrift,  who,  it  was  well  known,  had 
been  hanged  on  a  tree,  was  made  a  curfe  the 
Apoftle  quotes  a  pafiage  from  the  old  teftament 
in  which  it  is  afferted  that  he  who  is  hanged  on  a 
tree  is  accurjed  cf  God ,  and  applies  it  to  Chrift. 
This  makes  it  mamfeft  that  the  curfe  of  God,  which 
is  the  curje  of  the  law ,  was  laid  upon  Chrijl :  And 
by  bis  being  made  this  curje ,  he  redeemed  his 
people  from  the  curfe  of  the  law.  The  particle 
for ,  with  which  the  Apoftle  introduceth  the  text 
from  the  Mofaic  law,  plainly  Ihows  that  the  paf- 
fage  is  not  exegetical ,  nor  brought  with  defign  to 
explain  the  nature  of  the  curfe  which  Chrift  was 
made  ;  but  to  prove  that  he  v/as  indeed  made  a 
curfe.  Or  fhould  it  be  admitted,  (which  howe¬ 
ver  there,  is  no  reafon  for  admitting)  that  the 
Apoftle  defigned,  in  thofe  laft  words,  to  let  us 
know  what  the  curfe  was  which  Chrift  endured  ; 
frill  it  will  be  evident  that  he  v/as  made  a  curje  in 
which  God  manifefted  his  anger  :  And,  therefore, 
that  the  fufferings  and  death  ol  Chrift  were  indeed 
exprefllons  of  divine  anger.  It  therefore  fol¬ 
low's,  that  the  fcriptures  plainly  teach  us  that  the 
fruits  cf  divine  clifpleafure  were  endured  by  Chrift* 
efpecially  when  he  hung  upon  the  tree. 


Some  have  ftrppofed  that  to  reprefent  Chrift  as 
enduring  the  curfe  of  the  law,  would  neceftarily 
involve  in  it  the  idea  of  his  being  a  finner,  and  of 
his  feeling  thofe  horrors  and  that  deipair  which 
are  peculiar  to  ftnners.  And  this  fuppofition  is 
founded  on  an  apprehenfton  that  Jpiritual  death 
is  a  great,  if  not  principal  part  of  the  curfe  of 
the  law.  But  this  is  a  fuppofition  quite  without 
foundation.  Spiritual  death ,  as  the  phrafe  is 
commonly  ufed,  means  a  perfort’s  being  perfectly* 
under  the  dominion  and  power  of  fin  or  to  ex- 


CHAP.  VI. 


95 


prefs  it  in  fcripture-language,  being  dead  in  trefpaffes 
and  fins  :  which  is  the  fame  as  his  being  wholly 
and  totally  a  /inner.  But  this  furely  can  with  no 
propriety  be  confidered  as  a  curfe  upon  the  finner. 
Sin  is  voluntary  ;  it  is  what-is  chofen  by  the  finner; 
and  is  not  the  curfe  itfelf ,  but  that  which  expofes 
to  it,  and  incurs  it.  It  would  be  ftrange  that  for 
committing  one  fin,  which  muft  be  a  voluntary 
aft,  God  fhould  threaten  the  finner  with  commit¬ 
ting  another,  which  muft  be  equally  voluntary  ; 
and  make  this  the  penalty  of  the  former — the 
curfe  to  be  endured  for  it.  At  this  rate,  the 
penalties  of  the  law  could  not  poftibly  be  any 
terror  to  the  finner. 

The  penalties  cf  the  law,  therefore,  muft  of 
neceftity,  and  in  the  nature  of  things,  be  natural 
evils,  not  moral.  By  bringing  natural  evil  it  is, 
that  God  exprefteth  his  difpleafure  againft  moral  t 
Natural  evils  are  punifhments,  but  moral  are  not : 
The  former ,  therefore,  and  only  the  former,  are 
the  fanftions,  or  curfes  of  the  law.  So  that 
Chrift’s  enduring  the  curfe  of  the  law,  would  by 
no  means  imply  that  he  was  a  finner  ;  that  God 
was  angry  with  Chrift  ;  or  that  Chrift  felt  thofe 
fenfations  of  defpair,  and  thofe  horrors  of  an  ac- 
cufing  confcience,  which  will  neceftarily  accom¬ 
pany,  and  be  a  bitter  part  of  the  fufferings  of 
finners ,  when  they  endure  the  curfe  of  the  law. 

Natural  evils  which  exprefs  the  anger  of  God, 
are  the  curfe  of  the  law.  Natural  evils  Chrift 
fuffered,  and  thofe.  to  a  high  degree.  Thefe  are 
all  a  curfe,  and  the  curfe  of  God;  and,  evidently 
reprefented  as  the  curfe  of  the  law.  And  when 
we  confider  the  dignity  of  the  perfon,  and  the 
excellency  of  the  character  of  Chrift  ;  if  the  na- 
O  tural 


CHAP.  VI. 


tural  evils  he  buffered  from  the  hand  of  God, 
were  fuflacient  to  exprefs  to  the  views  of  creatures, 
as  high  a  degree  of  divine  difpleafure,  as  the  na¬ 
tural  evils  which  God' brings  on  the  finner  him- 
felfi,  when  he  executes  the  curfe  upon  him  ;  it 
can  be  no  reflection  upon  Chrift;  nor  imply  the 
leaft  defedt  in  his  character,  to  confider  him  as 
having  endured  the  cur/e  of  the  law ,  and  in  this 
fenfe  having  been  made  a  curfe  for  his  people, 
that  they  might  be  the  righteoufnefs  of  God  in 
him. 

But  it  may,  perhaps,  be  here  objeCted,  that 
cc  As  Chrift  was  infinitely  far  from  being,  him- 
fC  felf,  an  obieCt  of  the  divine  anger  ;  the  natural 
tc  evils  which  were  brought  upon  him  were  no 
tc  expreffions  of  divine  difpleafure,  either  againft 
s<  him-,  or  again  ft  any  other  perfon.  It  may  be 
<c  urged  that  God,  in  his  providence,  put  the 
<f  Saviour  into  that  trying  fituation  in  which  he 
e<  lived  and  died,  in  order  to  give  him  opportu- 
nity  to  exhibit  the  moft  exalted  virtue,  and 
difplay  the  excellencies  and  glories  of  his  own 
tc  character  to  the  beft  advantage.  And  if  this 
cc  were  the  true  reafon  of  the  bufferings  of  Chrift, 
the  evils  which  he  endured  were  fo  far  from 
<f  being  any  expreffions  of  divine  anger,  that  they 
<£  were  rather  marks  of  divine  favour  :  And, 
“  therefore,  in  all  the  bufferings  that  Chrift  en- 
t(  dured,  great  and  terrible  as  they  are,  we  can 
<c  behold  nothing  more  than  marks  of  favour  and 
c<  honour  to  the  perfon  of  Chrift. 

In  anfwer  to  this  objection  it  may  be  replied, 
that  the  idea  of  the  end  of  Chrift’s  fufferings  con¬ 
tained  in  the  objection  before  us,  however  natu¬ 
ral  it  may  be  thought  to  be  in  itfelf,  is  far  from 

correfponding 


CHAP.  VI. 


97 


correfponding  with  the  representations  given  of  it 
by  the  inspired  writers.  The  Scriptures  teaeh  us 
that  God’s ftword  was  awakened  and  drawn  againft 
Chrift — that  he  was  made  a  curfe  ;  and  that  this 
curfe  was  the  cur/e  of  God.  Here  he  is  represented 
as  being  made  a  fin-offering — being  bruifted  and 
put  to  grief  by  Jehovah ,  and  wounded  for  our  tranff 
greffions.  And  this  is  language  never  made  life 
of  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  to  paint  divine  compla¬ 
cency  and  favour .  Swords  are  not  drawn  againft 
any  one  for  any  other  purpofe  than  that  of  expreff- 
ing  difpleafure.  Favours  are  not  ufually  confer¬ 
ee!  at  the  point  of  the  fword.  And  if  the  evils 
which  were  brought  on  Chrift,  are  to  be  consi¬ 
dered  in  no  other  light  than  that  of  divine  favours 
to  the  perfon  who  Suffered  ;  we  can  fee  no  pro¬ 
priety  in  their  being  called  a  curfe ,  the  curfe  of 
God ,  &c.  If  the  Sufferings  of  Chrift  were  only 
marks  of  divine  favour ,  and  as  it  were  the  peft  of 
honour  given  to  the  great  Captain  of  falvation  ; 
this  idea  would  have  been  much  more  eafy  and 
naturally  conveyed  by  other  and  very  different 
expreffions  from  thofe  that  are  made  ufe  of  in  the 
Sacred  writings.  It  is  hard  to  fee  how  this  would 
authorife  us  to  confider  Chrift  as  being  made  a 
curfe ,  and  being  pierced  by  God’ s  Sword,  the  Sword 
of  divine  vengeance.  The  poft  of  honour  is  ne¬ 
ver  confidered  as  the  curfe  of  him  who  appoints  to 
it  :  especially  when  that  appointment  is  a  mark 
of  dift  in  Elion  and  favour.  And  if  the  curfe  which 
Chrift  was  made  is  not  a  token  of  divine  anger; 
if  the  fword  of  God  which  was  awakened  and 
drawn  againft  Chrift ,  and  which  aft u ally  executed 
him,  and  took  away  his  life  ;  did  not  exprefs 
divine  anger  ;  a  doubt  may  immediately  arife 
whether  God’s  curfe  in  any  cafe  whatever  really 

exprefseth 


CHAP.  VI. 


& 

exprefteth  anger.  If,  in  that  cafe,  it  expreffed 
nothing  more  than  kind  purpofes  toward  the  Sa¬ 
viour,  where  will  be  the  evidence  that,  in  any 
other  cafe,  it  exprefteth  any  thing  mere  than 
kind,  benevolent  purpofes  toward  the  lufferer  ? 
If  the  curje  of  God,  the  cur/e  of  the  law ,  when  laid 
upon  Chrift,  was  no  mark  of  divine  difpleafure  ; 
no  evils,  no  fufferings  whatever,  merely  from 
their  being  the  curfe  of  God,  and  the  curfe  of 
the  law,  will  exhibit  divine  anger.  And  of 
courfe  the  curfes,  the  fanftions  of  the  law,  do 
not  hold  out  divine  indignation  to  view. 

The  word  of  God  is  the  authority  by  which  we 
are  to  determine,  both  the  end  and  the  import  of 
the  fufferings  of  Chrift.  And,  when  we  are  here 
taught  that  Chrift,  in  dying,  was  made  a  curfe — 
that  he  was  made  fo  by  Jehovah — that  this  curfe 
which  he  was  made  was  the  curfe  of  God ;  if  the 
curfes  of  God,  and  of  his  law,  hold  out  anger 
and  indignation  to  view,  it  cannot  conftftently 
be  denied  that  the  fufferings  and  death  of  Chrift 
were  indeed  expreftions  of  divine  anger.  Accor¬ 
dingly,  the  redemption  of  Chrift’s  people  is  con- 
ftantly  and  abundantly  attributed,  in  the  holy 
l'criptures,  to  the  fufferings ,  the  death ,  the  blood 
of  the  Saviour  ;  and,  by  his  being  made  a  curje , 
are  they  redeemed  from  the  curfe  of  the  law. 

Further  ;  in  confirmation  of  this  view  of  the 
fufferings  of  Chrift,  as  being  expreftive  of  the 
anger  of  God  againft  fin,  it  is  worthy  of  notice 
that  the  virtue  of  his  atonement  is  conftantly  fet 
to  the  fcore  of  his  fufferings ,  both  by  Chrift  hirn- 
fe If,  and  by  his  apoftles.  Thus  Chrift  fays, 
<c  As  Mofes  lifted  up  the  ferpent  in  the  wilder- 
<c  nefs,  even  fo  miifi:  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up ; 

“  that 


CHAP.  VI. 


99 


<£  that  whofoever  believeth  on  him  fhould  not 
t£  perifh,  but  have  eternal  life.”1  Again;  <c  And 
“  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth ,  will  draw  all 
££  men  unto  me.”1  When  his  difciples  were 
confounded  on  feeing  him  whom  they  beieived  to 
be  the  Meffiah  fuffer  death  ;  immediately  after 
his  refurrefition  he  reproves  them  in  the  following 
manner,  £C  O  fools,  and  flow  ot  heart  to  believe 
££  all  that  the  prophets  have  fpoken.  Ought  not 
££  Chrift  to  have  fujfered  thefe  thing s — ?  And  he 
C£  faid  unto  them,  Thefe  are  the  words  which  I 
<£  fpake  unto  you  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that 
<c  all  things  mu'-t  be  fufilled  which  were  written 
££  in  the  law  of  Mofes,  and  in  the  prophets,  and 
“  in  the  plalms  concerning  me.  And  faid  unto 
<£  them,  thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved 
“  Chrift  to  fuffer  and  to  rife  from  the  dead  on  the 
<c  third  day.”3  Accordingly,  the  efficacy  of  the 
atonement  made  by  Chrift  is  conftantly  reprefen - 
ted  as  being  in  his  blood.  Speaking  of  Chrift,  the  A- 
poftlefays, ££  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through 
“  his  blood ,  the  fofgivenefs  of  fins,  according  to 
tc  the  riches  of  his  grace.”4  And,  the  Apoftle 
again  faith  that  ££  without  foedding  of  blood  there 
tc  is  no  remiftion.”5  Therefore  it  is  that  ££  the 
“  blood  of  Chrift  cleanfeth  from  all  fin:”6  And, 
the  robes  of  faints  are  faid  to  be  mads  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb.7 

Christ’s  obedience  unto  death  was  infinitely 
pleafing  to  the  Father ;  and,  as  hath  been  before 
obferved,  of  infinite  importance.  Without  this, 
his  fufferings  and  death  could  have  been  no  atone¬ 
ment  for  fin.  And,  for  his  obedience  unto  death  it 
is  that  He  is  highly  exalted,  and  hath  a  name  gi¬ 
ven 

1  John,  3,  14,  15,  1  John ,  12,  32.  3  Luke ,  24.  25, 
96,  44,  46.  *  Ephef.  1.7.  5  Heb.  9,  22.  6  John ,  j.  7. 
1  Rev.  7.  14, 


IOO 


CHAP.  VI. 


ven  him  which  is  above  every  name.  ’  Yet  the 
obedience  of  Chrift,  important  and  glorious  as  it 
was,  is  never  once  fpoken  of  as  making  atonement : 
Nor,  are  his  difciples  ever  reprefented  as  being 
purged  and  faved  by  his  obedience ;  but,  invaria¬ 
bly,  by  his  blood,  his  bufferings  and  death. 

Now,  if  the  whole  efficacy  of  the  death  of 
Chrift  as  an  atonement  for  the  fins  of  the  world, 
ccnfffted  in  the  perfection  of  his  ferjonal  obedi¬ 
ence  ;  we  know  not  how  to  account  for  it  that  this 
efficacy  of  it  to  cleanfe  from  fin,  fhould  be  con- 
ftantly  reprefented  in  figurative  language,  and 
that  too,  when  the  idea  of  the  perfection  of  this 
obedience  is  not,  at  all,  heightened  by  the  figure 
made  ufeof  to  exprefs  it  but  would  have  been,  at 
leaft,  as  perfectly  clear  and  intelligible,  had  it  been 
faid  that  his  people  were  redeemed  by  his  obedience 
unto  death.  Figurative  language  is  not  made  ufe 
of,  in  the  holy  feriptures,  unlefs  it  be  where  ths 
ideas  to  be  conveyed  by  it,  are  defigned  to  be  lefs 
obvious  than  if  expreffed  in  plainer  terms ;  or, 
with  a  view  to  give  them  greater  clearnefs  and 
perfpicuity.  But,  if  the  bufferings  and  death  of 
the  Saviour  vrere  of  no  other  importance,  as  an 
atonement  for  fin,  than  as  a  teftimony  of  the  pCr- 
feClion  and  height  of  his  obedience ;  it  is  hard  to 
be  accounted  for,  that  the  holy  Ghoft  fhould  con- 
ftantly  reprefent  the  efficacy  of  the  atonement  as 
being  in  the  death,  the  bjood  of  Chrift :  And  much 
more  fo,  that  he  fhould  fpeak  of  Chrift  as  being  a 
fai-effering)  and  his  death  as  being  a  a  curje — the 
curje  cfGcdy  and  the  effeCt  of  God’s  fword  drawn 
again  ft  him,  and  commiffioned  to  fmite  and  ex¬ 
ecute  him  ;  and,  in  this  way  reprefent  Chrift  as 
falling  a  victim  to  divine  juftice. 


CHAP.  VI. 


ioi 


These  confideratlons,  it  is  apprehended,  fuf- 
ficiently  (how  that  there  was  fome  further  end  to 
be  anfwered  by  the  Jufferings  and  death  of  Chrift 
than  a  mere  exhibition  of  the  Jirength  and  -perfecti¬ 
on  of  his  perfonal  obedience  :  And,  that  this ,  would  , 
by  no  means  warrant  that  mode  of  expreflion 
which  is  frequently  and  abundantly  made  ufe  of, 
by  the  infpired  writers,  in  treating  this  important 
lubjedt.  To  fuppofe  that  the  death  of  Chrift  an¬ 
fwered  no  other  end  than  to  illuftrate  his  obedi¬ 
ence,  would,  certainly,  imply  that  the  figures 
made  ufe  of  in  reprel'enting  it,  are  bold  and 
ftrong  beyond  any  parallel  to  be  found  in  the 
whole  word  of  God ;  and  that  the  images 
glow  in  colours  in  which  it  was  never  de- 
figned  they  fhould  be  viewed.  While,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  foregoing  obfervations,  as 
would  be  but  natural  to  fuppofe,  was  in  fadl  the 
the  cafe,  evidently  bring  into  view  the  FATHER 
as  fitting  to  hold  the  rights  of  government,  while 
the  SON  was  adling  the  part  of  a  fervant ;  and 
having  himfelf  a  glorious  and  awfully  majefdc 
part  to  aft,  while  a  fin-offering  is  made  by  Chrift, 
we  behold  the  high  “and  holy  charadter  of  KIM 
to  whom  it  is  made  ;  and,  fee  the  awful  manifef- 
tations  of  that  divine  difpleafure,  the  exhibitions 
of  which  can  no  more  be  fupprefled,  than  God 
himfelf  can  ceafe  to  be  infinitely  holy ;  or  can  be 
reftrained  from  exprefling,  in  his  government 
over  a  fallen  world* 


CHAPTER 


102 


CHAP.  VII. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

In  which  it  is  Jhown  that  the  anger  of  Gcd  which 
appeared,  and  was  exprejfed,  in  the  Jufferings 
of  Chrijl ;  was  really  agaihfi  finners. 

O  O  M  E  have  apprehended  that  it  is  impoffible 
o  the  fufFerings  of  an  innocent  perfon,  fhouid 
exprefs  anger  againft  the  guilty ;  And,  on  this 
ground  have  fuppofed  it  abfurd  to  confider  Chrift 
as,  in  any  fenfe,  a  Jubfiitute. ,  in  his  fufferings, 
for  finners.  Therefore  againft  the  idea  of  atone¬ 
ment  being  made  by  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  it  is 
objected  that  Cf  we  cannot  comprehend  how  the 
puniftiment,  or  fufferings  of  an  innocent  perfon, 
tc  fhouid  exprefs  difpieafure  againft  the  guilty.” 

f 

This  objection  implies  that  it  is  effential  to 
the  character  of  God,  that  in  his  providential 
government,  he  fhouid  treat  every  one  according 
to  his  own  character  and  deferts  :  And  that  as  far 
as  natural  good  and  evil,  brought  on  moral  be¬ 
ings,  exprefs  the  divine  approbation,  or  the  con¬ 
trary  j  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  redtitude  of  hris 
government  requires  that  he  confer  only  good  on 
the  righteous,  and  evil  on  the  vicious.  On  this 
hypothefis,  therefore,  either  one  or  the  other  of 
the  following  things  muft  be  true  :  viz. 

i.  That  it  is  inconfiftent  with  the  character  of 
God,  and  the  redtitude  and  glory  of  his  govern¬ 
ment,  to  exercife  mercy  to  finners  in  delivering 
them  from  the  the  natural  evils  their  tins  deferve. 
For,  according  to  the  objection  before  us,  in 
the  rewards  and  punifhments  of  the  future  world, 
God  only  expreffeth  his  approbation  and  difap- 
probation  of  the  feveral  characters  of  the  different 

perfons 


CHAP.  VII. 


103 

perfons  who  are  the  fubjecls  of  them.  If  it  be 
impoffible  for  God  to  exprefs  difpleafure  againft 
finners  >  by  bringing  natural  evil  on  Chrifi ;  it 
mull  be  equally  irnpoffible  for  God  to  exprefs  ap¬ 
probation  of  the  character  of  Chrifi ,  by  confering 
natural  good  on  finners.  If  God  can  intelligibly 
exprefs  his  approbation  of  the  obedience  of  Chrifi 
by  confering  blejfings  on  finners ;  he  can  intelligi¬ 
bly  exprefs  his  abhorrence  of  the  difobedience  of 
men,  by  laying  the  curfe  on  Chrifi,  The  objec¬ 
tion  fuppofeth  it  abfurd  that  there  fhould  be  an 
interchange  of  perfons,  between  Chrifi  and  fin¬ 
ners,  as  to  the  blejjing  and  the  curfe  of  obedience 
and  the  reverfe.  And  if  this  be  abfurd,  the  fal- 
vation  of  finners  is  not  to  be  confidered  as  the 
reward  of  Chrifi' s  obedience  ;  but  of  their  own 
penitence  and  return  to  their  duty.  And  confe- 
quently  the  defign  of  Chrifl’s  coming  into  the 
world,  could  be  no  more  than  to  bring  the  good 
news  that  penitence  fhall  obtain  pardon  ;  and  of 
his  death,  to  feal  the  truth  of  it  with  his  blood. 
On  this  fuppofition  all  the  blefiings  that  will  ever 
be  confered  on  the  followers  cf  Chrifi,  in  the  fu¬ 
ture  world,  are  to  be  confidered  only  as  fo  many 
marks  of  the  divine  approbation  of  their  charac¬ 
ters  :  And  there  is  no  other  meritorious  caufe  of 
the  falvation  of  finners,  than  their  own  penitence 
and  return  to  their  duty.  This,  it  is  eafy  to  fee, 
at  once  excludes  every  idea  of  gofpel  mercy ,  and 
of  the  meritorious  righteoufnefs  of  Chrifi  as  a 
ground  of  the  falvation  of  finners.  If  the  falva¬ 
tion  of  finners  be  only  a  reward  of  their  own  pe¬ 
nitence  and  obedience,  all  ideas  of  go/pel-grace 
are  wholly  excluded.  For,  it  is  a  maxim  of  the 
gofpel  that,  to  him  that  worketh,  the  reward’  is 
not  reckoned  of  grace ,  but  of  debt,'- 

P  If 

‘  Rem.  4.  4. 


104 


CHAP.  VI 


If  it  be  effential  to  the  glory  of  God  that,  in 
the  good  and  evil  he  brings  on  his  creatures,  he 
fhould  treat  every  one  according  to  his  deierts  : 
the  confequence  is  that,  in  his  providential  go¬ 
vernment  in  difpenfing  bleffings  and  evils,  he 
never  doth,  in  fact,  exprefs  any  difpleafure,  in 
any  way  whatever,  againd  thofe  Who  are  veflels 
of  mercy.  From  no  natural  evil  whatever,  no 
adverfity  or  bufferings,  are  we  authorifed  to  con- 
-clude  that  there  is,  or  ever  was,  in  the  divine 
mind,  the  lead  difpleafure  againd  them  for  any 
fin  they  ever  committed  againd  God. 

On  this  fuppofition  it  is  manifeft  that  it  is  not 
effential  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  reclitude  of 
that  government  which  he  is  actually  exercifing 
over  men,  that  he  ever  fhould  exprefs  difpleafure 
againd  us,  for  any  of  our  condudf,  by  bringing 
■natural  evil  upon  us.  For,  if,  in  conddcncy 
with  the  redtitude  of  this  government,  he  may 
fave  a  part  of  the  human  race  without  ex- 
preffing  his  approbation  of  their  conduit  by  any 
natural  evils  whatever  ;  it  is  evident  that  the  glo¬ 
ry  of  this  government  could  not  be  bullied,  nor 
the  redlitude  of  it  rendered  fufpicious,  by  a  total 
fufpenfion  of  p.unifhments :  And,  notwithdand- 
ihg,  all  the  wickednefs  that  has  taken  place;  the 
divine  government  iday  appear  perfectly  equal 
and  glorious,  if  no  f  nner  be  ever  punifhed. 

2.  If  it  be  admitted  that  it  is  effential  to  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  reditu de  of  his  govern¬ 
ment,  that  his  anger  be  in  fbme  way  exprefied, 
in  Ins  providence,  againd  the  wickednefs  of  thofe 
whom  he  pardons  and  faves,  the  objeclion  before 
us  mud  imply  that  divine  anger  againd  the 
fins  of  men,  may  be  manifeded  to  a  degree 

fully 


CHAP.  VII. 


105 


fully  fufficient  to  fupport  the  honour  of  the  go¬ 
vernment  of  God,  without  any  natural  evils. 
The  objection  fuppofes  that  the  natural  evils 
brought  on  Chrift  did  not  exprefs  divine  anger 
againft:  the  fins  of  men ;  And,  that ,  for  this  ob¬ 
vious  reafon,  that  the  punifhment,  or  bufferings 
of  an  innocent  perfon,  cannot  exprefs  difpleafure 
againft  the  guilty.  If,  therefore,  thofe  natural 
evils  which  were  brought  on  the  perfon  of  Chrift, 
were  not  expreffions  of  divine  anger  againft  the 
fins-  of  men  ;  they  did  not  in  any  way  exprefs 
divine  anger  :  becaufe,  it  is  on  all  hands  admitted 
that  they  expreffed  no  degree  of  anger  againft 
Chrift. 


If,  then,  in  the  bufferings  and  death  of  Chrift, 
God  expreffed  no  difpleafure  againft  the  wick- 
eclnefs  of  the  world :  it  is  manifeft  that,  by  no 
natural  evils  whatever  doth  he  exprefs  >  anger 
againft  finners  whom  he  pardons  and  faves. 
And  therefore,  whatever  be  the  rebellion  and 
wickednefs  of  men,  the  honour  and  redlitude  of 
divine  government  by  no  means  infer  a  neceffity 
of  natural  evils  ;  but,  the  glory  and  dignity  of 
the  character  of  God  may  be  fully  fupported  with¬ 
out  the  execution  of  puniftiments. 

If,  in  the  bufferings  and  death  of  Chrift,  God 
expreffed  any  degree  of  anger  whatever ;  it  mull 
have  been  againft  finners  :  becaufe,  no  degree  of 
it  exifced,  againft  Chrift.  But  if,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  natural  evils  endured  by  the  Saviour, 
were  no  expreffions  of  divine  anger ;  it  mold  \ 
clearly  follows  that  God  may,  confiftendy  with 
the  reftitude  and  glory  of  his  government,  par¬ 
don  and  fave  finners  without  expre  fifing  by  natu¬ 
ral  evils  any  degree  of  difpleafure  againft  them  fQi'  , 

their 


CHAP.  VII. 


106 

their  fins.  And,  if  God  may  do  this  confidently 
with  the  redlitude  and  glory  of  his  government  ; 
he  may,  alfo,  confiftently  with  the  moral  laud , 
which  is  the  great  rule  of  his  moral  govern¬ 
ment.  Fon,  whatever  God  may  do  confiftent- 
ly  with  the  honour  of  his  government,  he  may 
aifo  do,  confiftently  with  the  honour  of 
his  lav/:  And,  of  courfe,  the  law  itfelf  doth  not 
require  that  the  finner  fhould  be  punijbed.  So 
long,  therefore,  as  we  believe  that,  neither  the 
glory  of  the  divine  character,  the  reCtitude  of  his 
government,  nor  the  honour  of  his  law,  require 
that  finners  fhould  be  p  unified  ;  we  cannot 
pofiibly,  with  the  leaft  reafon,  entertain  any  fears 
or  expectations  of  future  punifhment:  but,  muft, 
of  necefiity,  view  all  the  awful  threatnings  of  the 
law  only  as  fo  many Jcare-crows  held  out  to  terri¬ 
fy  weak  minds. 

These  are  the  obvious  and  neceflary  confe- 
quences  of  denying  the  necefiity  of  punifhment  s,  in 
the  divine  government,  when  moral  evil  hath  ac¬ 
tually  taken  place.  To  this  conclufion  will  the 
fentiment  that  God  may  confiftently  pardon  and 
fave  finners  without  exprefting,  by  any  natural  evils, 
his  difpleafure  againft  them,  evidently  lead;  and, 
in  this  will  it  manifeftly  terminate. 

But,  if  it  be  granted,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
the  honour  of  the  divine  government  forbids  that 
finners  fhould  be  pardoned  and  faved  without 
God’s  exprefting  in  fojne  way,  by  natural  evils , 
his  righteous  difpleafure  againft  them,  for  their 
fins  ;  it  muft  of  courfe  be  that  this  difpleafure  be 
exprefled  by  natural  evils  brought  on  an  innocent 
perfon  :  becaufe  the  falvation  in  queftion,  is  from 
fuch  and  only  from  fuch  natural-  evils  as  the  finner 
deferves.  If  this  difpleafure  be  exprefled  by  na¬ 
tural 


CHAP.  VII. 


1.07 

tural  evils  brought  on  the  firmer  himfelf,  the  fmner 
then  is  not Javed.  It  muff,  of  neceHity,  be  there¬ 
fore,  that  if  it  be  exprefTed  by  natural  evils 
brought  on  any  one,  it  mult  be,  by  their  being 
brought  on  one  who  is  not  a  firmer  :  And,  there¬ 
fore,  difpleafure  againft  the  guilty  is  exprefTed  by 
bufferings  brought  on  the  innocent.. 

To  fay,  therefore,  that  difpleafure  againft  the 
guilty ,  cannot  be  exprefTed  by  evils  brought  on 
an  innocent  perfon,  at  once  denies,  either  the  ne- 
cejfity  of  punifhment  ;  or  room  for  pardon.  For 
if  it  be  eiTential  to  the  glory  of  God,  that  he  ex- 
prefs  difpleafure  againft  wickednefs  ly  any  natural 
evils  ;  thefe  evils  rauft  be  endured,  either  by  the 
guilty ,  or  by  fome  one  who  is  innocent.  If 
they  are  endured  by  the  wicked  themfelves,  the 
funner  is  not,  yea  cannot  be  pardoned.  If  the  fm- 
ner  be  pardoned,  and  the  difpleafure  of  God  ne> 
verthelefs  exprefTed  in  natural  evils  it  mu  ft  of 
necelfity  be  that  this  is  done  in  natural  evils 
brought  on  one  who  is  innocent.  Thus  evidently 
doth  the  objection  under  confideration  deny  any 
neceffity,  arifing  either  from  the  law,  or  the  cha¬ 
racter  of  God,  that  linners  fhould  ever  be  punifh- 
ed  ;  or,  it  denies  that  Tinners  of  mankind  will 
ever  be  delivered  from  that  punifhment  which  is 
their  juft  defert  according  to  the  tenour  of  the 
divine  law. 

But  it  may  perhaps  be  denied  that  either  of 
thefe  confequences  are  involved  in  the  fentiment 
that  the  anger  of  God  again/  the  wicked  cannot  ke 
expreffed  in  the Jujferings  of  one  who  is  righteous.  It 
may  be  urged  that  “  as  the  obedience  of  Chrilt, 
“  eipecialiy  under  very  heavy  and  fevere  trials, 
“  exprefTed  a  very  high  degree  of  love  to  hcli - 
f<  ite/s-,  this,  of  courfe,  exhibited  a  proportionable 

cc  averfion 


CHAP.  VII, 


io3 

,£  averfiori  from  fin.  And  as  Chrift  was  God  ma- 
“  rdf  eft  in  flefi),  whatever  hatred  and  averfions 
tl  were  exprefied  by  him,  were  the  hatred — the 
c(  averfions  of  GOD.  And  therefore  Cod's  ha- 

tied  of  iniquity  appeared  and  was  exprefied 
“  in  the  vbedier.ee  of  Chrift.  His  acting  uni- 
“  formly  againft  the  caufe  cf  fin,  very  naturally 
,l  and  neceffarily  exprefied  his  difpleafure  againft 
£t  the  finner.” 

But  in  reply  to  this  reafoning  it  .may  be  ob- 
ferved  : 

i.  That  the  objedlor,  in  taking  this  courfe, 
fplits  upon  the  very  rock  he  means  to  avoid.  It 
is  urged  that  the  iuppofition,  that  the  dijpleafure 
of  God  agair.fi  the  wicked ,  cannot  be  been  in  the  Juf- 
ferings  of  an  innocent  perfen  ,  implies,  either  that 
the  wicked  will  be  univerfally  punifiied  ;  or,  that- 
the  character  and  law  of  God  do  not  require  that 
God’s  difpleafure  againft  the  wicked  fhould  ever 
be  exprefied  in  any  natural  evils ,  any  fufferings 
whatever.  The  argument  before  us  admits  that 
the  divine  being  may  fo  aft  againft  fin,  and  op- 
pofe  it  in  fuch  a  manner  in  his  own  conduct,  as  to 
render  punifiment s  unnecefiary  :  Or,  at  leaft  to 
render  it  confident  with  the  lpirit  of  the  law  to 
forgive  penitents  without  exprefiing  by  natural 
evils,  any  difpleafure  againft  them  fer  their  fins. 
But  if  God  may  forgive  feme  finner s ,  without 
teftifying  his  anger  againft  them  by  natural  evils  ; 
it  is  difficult  to  fee  why  he  may  not  all .  If  rhe 
honour  of  the  divine  law  may  be  fo  fupported 
without  natural  evils,  as  to  make  ic  confident 
with  the  character  of  the  governor  of  the  world, 
to  exercife  his  grace  in  bringing  Jome  to. repent¬ 
ance,  and  then  forgiving  them  we  fee  not  why 


CHAP.  VII. 


3  09 

it  may  not  all.  We  can  fee  no  other  objection 
againft  the  falvation  of  all  than  this,  viz.  That 
the  character  and  conduft  of  God  could  not  ap¬ 
pear  to  harmonize  with  his  perfect  law,  nnlefs  he 
expreffed  difpleafure  againft  the  rebellion  of  men 
by  natural  evils.  But  the  argument  which  pleads 
that  God’s  difpleafure  is  Jujficiently  expreffed, 'to 
anfwer  the  purpofes  of  law  and  government,  in 
the  obedience  of  Chrift,  removes  this  objection. 
And,  therefore,  it  implies  that  the  honor  of  God’s 
law  and  moral  government  may  be  fupported 
without  the  execution  of  punifhrncnts :  At 
leaft,  that  there  is  no  necedity  of  God’s  tefti- 
fying  againft  the  wickednefs  of  men  by  natural 
evils,  in  order  to  its  being  confident  with  his 
character  to  pardon  and  fave  finners. 

2.  It  may  juftly  be  fcrupled  whether  it  can, 
with  propriety,  be  laid  that  the  holy  and  obedi¬ 
ent  life  of  Chrift  exprejfed  any  divine  dijpleafure 
againft  men  for  their  fins  : — At  leaft,  any  dif- 
pofttion,  in  the  divine  mind,  to  punifo  men  for 
their  fins.  c<  God  fent  not  his  Son  into  the  world 

to  condemn  the  -world  ;  but  that  the  world 
11  through  him  might  be  faved.”1  Chrift’s  dif- 
pofition  to  obey  the  law,  was  acted  out  and  expreff¬ 
ed  in  his  life  on  earth.  And  whatever  reafons 
there  might  be,  from  any  conftderations,  to  iup- 
pofe  he  entertained  a  difpofition  within  himfelftto 
pnnijh  finners  ;  ftill  his  own  perfonal  obedience  to 
the  law  did  not  exprejs  it  ;  in  this  it  was  not  act¬ 
ed  out  in  its  proper  and  natural  fruits.  This 
difpofition  of  the  divine  redeemer  remains  to  be 
exhibited  and  difplayed  on  another  day.  And  if 
there  were  no  other  expreffion  of  divine  difpleafure 
againft  fin  ne cellar y,  than  this  j  we  have  no  rea~ 

fon 


5  John,  3-  I7« 


I IO 


CHAP.  VIL 


fon  to  expe;ft  that  any  other  expreftion  of  it  will, 
in  fa£t,  be  ever  made.  Accordingly, 

3.  If  God’s  being  manifeft  in  flefh,  and  afting 
againft  the  caitje  of  fin  in  a  holy  and  obedient 
life,  and  lubduing  the  power  of  it  in  his  people, 
be  all  the  way  in  which  it  is  neceffary  his  anger 
againft  fin  fhould  be  exprefted  ;  we  have  abun¬ 
dant  reafon  to  conclude,  that  neither  the  fpirit  cf 
the  law,  nor  the  honour  of  the  divine  government 
require  it  fhould  ever  be  expreffed  in  any  other 
way.  And  therefore  punifhments  are  far  from 
being  neceffary  under  the  divine  government. 
For,  on  this  hypothefis,  God  would  appear  to 
aft  more  decidedly  and  compleatlv  againft  the 
caufe  of  fin,  and  fo  of  conrfe  exprefs  higher  dif- 
pleafure  againft  it,  by  wholly  eradicating  it  out' 
of  the  heart  of  every  moral  being,  and  fetting  ail 
his  creatures  above  the  reach  of  natural  evil. 

These  are  but  the  natural  and  obvious  confe- 
quences  of  the  opinion  that  the  difpleafure  of 
God  againft  men,  for  their  fins,  was  not  expreff- 
ed  in  the  fufferings  and  death  of  Chrift. 

As  an  evidence  that  the  fufferings  of  Chrift 
were  expreftions  of  divine  anger  againft  men  for 
their  fins  ;  it  is  to  be  obferved, 

1.  That  ihcfe  fufferings  were,  in  reality,  ex- 
preffions  cf  divine  anger.  cThefe  were  a  curfe , 
the  curfe  cf  God,  which  can,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  be  no  other  than  an  expreffion  of  anger. 
The  fword  of  God,  the  fword  of  divine  juftice, 
was  called  up,  and  commiflioned  againft  Chrift  : 
and  fmote,  and  took  away  his  lire.  But  it  is  un- 
neceffary  to  repeat  what  has  been  faia  on  this 
fubjedl  in  a  former  chapter.  We  proceed, 

2.  To 


CHAP.  VII. 


in 


i.  To  obferve  that  the  anger  of  God  which 
appeared  and  was  expreffed  in  the  fufferings  of 
Chrift,  could  not  be  againfi  the  p  erf  on  of  the  Savi¬ 
our.  Chrift  always  did  thofe  things  that  pleafed  the 
Father.1  He  is  God’s  beloved  Son  in  whom  he 
is  well  pleafed.1  How  often  was  the  voice  of 
God  heard  from  heaven,  declaring  concerning 
Chrift,  while  he  was  on  earth,  ec  This  is  my  be¬ 
loved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  weil  pleafed.”3  Ne¬ 
ver  did  the  Father  view  this  Son  of  his  love  with 
greater  complacency  and  delight,  than  when  he 
was  making  his  foul  an  offering  for  fin  :  And  ne¬ 
ver  did  he  feel  a  more  infinite  tenaernefs  for  him* 
than  while  he  was  wounding  him  for  our  tranf- 
greffions,  and  bruiting  him  for  our  iniquities. 

3.  God  is  invariably  difpleafed  at  fin  ;  and, 
he  never  has  the  ieaft  degree  of  anger  againft  any 
of  his  creatures,  but  finners.  The  law  of  God, 
which  expreffeth  his  very  mind  and  will,  curfeth 
thofe,  and  only  thofe,  who  continue  not  in  all 
things  written  in  the  book  of  it,  to  do  them. 
When  any  of  God’s  creatures  commit  fin, 
they  provoke  his  anger.  But,  where  there  is  no 
fin,  it  cannot  be  that  God  is  offended.  And, 
as  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day;* 
every  exhibition  of  divine  anger  muft  be  againft 
finners. 

4.  It  is  evident,  and  is  generally  confeffed, 
that  the  happy  and  bleffed  fruits  of  Chrift' s  glori¬ 
ous  righteoifnefs  ,  are  confered  upon  finners  of 
mankind ,  and  enjoyed  by  them.  The  Apoftle 
faith,  “  As  by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment 
<c  came  upon  all  men  unto  condemnation ;  even 

(c  fo 

*  John,  8  29.  a  Matt,  la,  1 8,  3  Mattb.  X,  17,  and 

17,  5.  *  PJ\  7.  11. 


CHAP.  VII 


II 2! 

“  fo  by  the  righteoufnefs  of  one,  the  free  gift  came 

upon  ad  men  unto  juftification  of  life.  For,  as  by 
tc  one  man’s  difohedience,  many  were  made  fin- 
“  ners  ;  fq  by  the  obedience  of  one,  fhail  many 
“  be  made  righteous.”1  And  'this  one  perfon,  by 
whole  righteoufnefs  the  thee  gift  comes  upon  men 
to  jufliS  cation  of  life,  the  connection  of  the  Apof- 
tle’s  drfcourfe  evidently  proves  to  be  the  Lord  Je- 
Jus  drift.  tc  Therefore”  he  fays  again,  <c  by 
iL  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  ilia'll  no  flefh  be  jufti- 
“  fred  in  his  fight  :  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge 
“  of  fin.  But  now  the  righteoufnefs  of  Gcd  with- 
“  out  the  law  is  manifefted,  being  witnefied  by 
“  the  law  and  the  prophets  ;  even  the  rightecuf- 
<c  nefs  of .  God  which  is  by  faith  of  Jefus  Chrift 
rc.  unto  ail,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe.”3, 
Thefe  paffages,  with  many  others  in  the  Scrip¬ 
tures,,  make  it  evident  that  finners  of  mankind  re¬ 
ceive  and  enjoy  the  rewards,  the  happy  fruits  of 
the  righteoufnefs  6f  Chrift;  And,  that  the  benefits  of 
his  righteoufnefs  are,  of  grace,  bedewed  upon  fin¬ 
ners.  This  is  the  true  and  only  prqper  import 
©f  th.e  imputation  of  Chrift’s  righteoufnefs  to  be¬ 
lievers- - This  is  to  have  his  righteoufnefs  im¬ 

puted  to  'them  ;  for  them  to  receive  and  enjoy  the 
benefits,  the  happy  fruits  of  it. 

Add  to  thefe  confiderations,  the  frequent  and 
exp  refs  declarations  of  the  word  of  God  refpeft- 
ing •  the  'eftd  of  the  fu  fie  rings  of  Chrift,  can  there 
be  any  remaining  doubt  whether  the  difpleafure 
of  God -which  was  exhibited  in  them,  were  agair.ft. 
finners.?  No  point  can  be  made  more  evident  byex- 
f  refs  divine  declarations  than  this.  Here,  we  are  told 
that  Chrift  “  was  made  under  the  law,  that  he 
<c  might  redeem  them  that  are  under  the  law, 

that  they  might  receive  the  adoption  of  ions.”5 

Here, 

1  Rom.  c.  1 8,  19.  1  Ren:.  3.  20»-  22.  zGalai.  4.  4,  5. 


CHAP.  VII; 


II 3 

Here,  we  are  taught  that  Chrifi:  united  himfelf  to 
his  people,  by  a  ftreng  and  invincible  love,  that  he 
might  recover  and  lave  them.  The  near-nefs  of 
his  relation  to  his- people,’  and  the  intimacy  of  the 
union  which  fubfhls  betv/een  them,  are  fuch-as  to  re¬ 
quire  the  Hrongeft  fimiiitudes,  the  bolded  -me ray 
phors,  to  exprefs  them.  He  is-the.vipe  of  which 
they  are  the  branches  : 1  the  huffcmd  of  whom  the 
church  is  the  fpeuf&yd  the  head  of  which  his  peo¬ 
ple  are  the  body  even  fo  that  they  are  members 
of  his  fiefoy  and  of  his  bones  J-  . 

Thts  is  the  relation  in  which  we^ar.e  taucrht,  by 
the  unerring  oracles  of  truth,  that  Chrift  Hands 
to  his  people.  And,  Handing  in  this  relatiorvto 
them,  it  is  exprefsly  declared  by  the  Spirit 'of 
truth,  that  he  was  woupded  for  their  J'rsmfgnffi- 
cns,  and  bruifed  for  their  iniquities  :?  that,  he 
was. made  a  curfe  for  them  :5  that,  he  wps  deliver¬ 
ed,  (.that  is  to  for-ou}\  A  '.that,  ,he 

was  once  offered- 1$  bear  the  Jiff  -  off  many  ,■  7\  and, 
that  he  here  our  Jins  on  the  tree.8  :  It- 
afferted  that  Chrilt  died for  ■■iff  ^  nragodij-^xp^ffp 
died  for  us  that,  he  fufferedferEbe.  unjujip  tfe^t 

he  might  bring  them  to  God  :-'  0  that, 7  he  was -jaori- 
foed  for  usd  ‘And,  to  clofe  the  whole^  C  hr  ill  -hjwr 
fel.f  tells  us  that  he  came  to  give  his'ijfe^a-  -r#nfdfp 
for  many ;  and  was  the  good  feepherd  who-  laid 
down -his  life  for  the  ffeepdz-  - 

Beside  the  very  unfcriptural  'confequenees 
which  hecelTarify  flow  from  a  denial  of  thTpofTi- 
b.ility  that  the  anger  cf  God '  cgahff  fmners  Jh cliff 
appear  and  be  eupreffe'd  in  the  fuff erhigs  cf  an  firm- 

.  '  '  '  g  cent 

''  ’John,  15.5.’  *  ffai.  54,  5.  6.  3  Ephef.  5.  3Q,  „4 

Ifai.  53.  5-.  5  GhTdt.  3;  !3*  6  Rem.  4.  25.  7  Htl\ 

9.  28.  8  I.  Pel.  2.  24.  9  Rom.  5,  6,  8.  l<>  Pet.  3.  x8. 

.* 1  I.  Cor.  5.  7.  1Z  John,  10.  11,  15. 


CHAP.  VII. 


114 

cent  f  erf  in  ;  thefe  paffages  of  fcripture,  together 
with  the  obfervattons  immediately  preceding,  are 
fo  many  concurring  proofs,  and  unequivocal  tef- 
timonies  that,  in  the  bufferings  of  Chrift,  this  was 
in  fa  hi  the  cafe.  And,  all  the  mighty  power  which 
Chrift  displayed  while  on  earth  5  every  miracle 
that  he  wrought  j-  and,  more  frill,  if  pofti- 
ble,  his  triumphant  refurretfticn  and  afcenfion 
to  glory-;  together  with  all  the  marvellous 
effects  of  it,  which  have  fince  appeared  upon 
earth ;  are  fo  many  additional  teftimonies,  fo 
many  irrefragable  proofs  that  the  righteous 
dfpkafure  of.  God,  which  Jhone  in  the  fuffer- 
ings  of  the  Saviour ,  had  really,  for  its  objebt, 
the  Jins  of  men. 

If,  the  Deity  himfelf  had  been  about  to 
contrive  the  moll:  effectual  means  for  giving  con¬ 
viction,  to  all  creatures,  that  the  anger  which 
burned  in  the  fujferings  of  his  dear  Son ,  was  not 
againft  him,  but  againft  Jinful  men ;  What  could 
he  have  clone  more,  what  more  effeftual  method 
could  he  have  taken,  to  afcertain  fuch  a  truth  ? 
To  fee  the  fruits  of  divine  anger  alight  upon  the 
immaculate  Lamb  of  God,  when  he  came  to  de¬ 
liver  his  people  from  the  power  of  fin,  and  from 
the  wrath  and  curfe  of  Gcd ;  and,  then,  behold 
the  people  of  Chrift,  who  are  themfelves  infinite¬ 
ly  guilty,  reaping  the-  happy  fruits  of  divine 
righteoufnefs  5  -fo  ftrongly  indicates,  in  itfelf,  an 
interchange  of  ' periods,  between  Chrift  and  his 
people,  as  to  fufferings  and  rewards,  as  hardly 
leaves  room  for  a  doubt  whether  this  were  really 
the  cafe.  Under  thefe  circimfiances,  the  exprefs 
declarations  of  the  word  of  Gael  mu  ft,  furely.be 
fufficient.  to  put  the  matter  out  of  all  difputej 
and,  leave  full  conviction  in  every  candid  mind. 


CHAP.  VII. 


ilS 


that  the  /offerings'  of  Chrijl  were,  in  reality,  ex- 
preffions  of  divine  difpieafure  agaihfi.  men  for  their 
Jitis. 

But,  to  all  this  it  is  objected  that cc  The  rules 
tc  of  righteoufnejs  never  admit,  that  the  innocent 
<c  ihould  be  pumfhed  for  the  guilty.  If,  as  Abraham, 
(i  the  father  of  the  faithful,  reafoned,  that  it  be 
<f  far  from  God  to  flay  the  righteous  with  the  wick - 

ed,  and,  that  the  righteous  jhould  he  as  the  wick- 
u  ed:1  much  farther  mull  ic  be  from  Gpd  to  flay 
f(  the  righteous  infiead  o  f  the  wicked,” 

i 

This  objection,  it  is  to  be  obferved,  as  v/ell  as 
thofe  to  which  we  have  before. '  been  attending, 
fuppofes  that,  if  any  punifhments  are  necef- 
fary  in  the  divine  government,  they  muft  be  laid 
only  on  the  guilty ;  if  it  be'  neceflary  that  God 
exprefs  anger  by  any  natural  evils,  they  muA  be 
inflicted  on  thofe  who  defetve  them  :  And,  there¬ 
fore,  if  it  be  confident  with  the  divine  rectitude 
in  any  in  fiance  to  pardon  the  tinner,  it  mu  ft  be 
that. the  reditude  of  divine  government  does  not 
require  that  the  anger  of  God  againfl;  fmners 
fhould  ever  be  exprefled  by  nntuml  evils  :  And, 
confequently,  that  the  law  of  God  doth  not  re¬ 
quire  it. 

This  obje&iom,  at  lead:,  fuppofeth  that  the 
law  of  Goci  doth  not  require  that  in  every  injl- 
ar.ee '  he  fhould  exorefs  'difpieafure  againfl:  fmners 
by  inflicting  natural  evils  upon  them  :  and  there¬ 
fore,  that  there  is  not  a  difpoution  in  the  divine 
mind,  that  could  ever  betruly  and '  properly  de¬ 
lineated  in  this  way.  Bur,  ifthc  lav/  and  charact¬ 
er  of  God  do  not  require  that  this  ihould  be  done 
in  every  inftance ,  we  cannot  fee  with  what  propri¬ 
ety 


CHAP.  VII. 


3  10 

ety  it  fiiould  be  done  in  any.  And,  if  this  be  the 
cafe,  we  may  fairly  conclude  it  never  would  have 
been  done,  even  if  Clirift  had  not  come  into  the 
world.  According  to  this  hypothecs,  theiefbre, 
we  muft  fuppofe  that  the  true  end  cf  the  coming 
of  Chrifl  was  to  relieve  the  minds  of  inen  from 
tnofe  unneceffary-  fears  which  the  la W  of  G  od,  un- 
leis  Smoothed  and  foftened  by  fome  milder  and 
mere  generous  drrpenfation,  would  necefiarily  be¬ 
get  in  them.  But  if  this  were  the  true  defgn  of 
'the -coming  cfChrift,  it  is  difficult  to  fee  how  it 
could  with  propriety  be'  prophefied  of  him,  that 
he  Should  magnify  the  law  and  make  it  honoura¬ 
ble  •;  ‘  and  how  this  could  be  a  ground  of  God’s 
being  well  pleafed  for  his  righteoufnefs'  fake. 
Surely  the  Saviour  himlelf  had  not  this  view  of 
the  end  of  his  million,  when  he  declared,  “I  am 
fc  not  come  to  deftroy  the  law,  but  to  fulfill. 
tc  For,  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  till  heaven  and 
cc  earth  pajs ,  cne  jot ,  or  one  tittle  f!:all  in  no  wife 
Ci  faIs  from  the  law ,  till  all  be  fulfilled. z 

Further;  -  the  objection  fuppofeth  that, 
though  it  be  inconfflent  with  the  righteoufnefs 
of  the  Governor  of  the  world,  to  treat  the  right¬ 
eous  as  the  wicked ,  yer,  the  nature  of  the  divine 
government  is  fuch  as  doth  not  require  that  the 
wicked  fhoukl  be  di ft  ingulfed  from  the  righteous ; 
but  admits  that  the  rewards  of  righteoufnefs  may 
be  equally  and  indiscriminately  beftowed  on  the 
wicked,  and  on  the  righteous.  And  what  ideas 
of  government  remain,  after  we  have  adopted  thole 
modes  and  rules  of  adminiftration  which  equally 
admit  die  righteous  and  the  wicked  to  the  re¬ 
wards  of  obedience ,  it  mull  be  difficult  .for  any  one 
to  afeertain. 

*  T/aiah.  42,  21.  1  Mat.  5.  17,  iS. 


CHAP.  VII. 


ii  7 

It  is  readily  admitted  that  it  would  not  be  In¬ 
continent  with  the  rules  of  common  juffice  for 
the  Deity,  by.  his  mere  authority  and  power  to 
Jubjeft  an  innocent  perfon  to  bufferings.  But,  the 
objector  himfelf  admits  that  the  holy  and  inno¬ 
cent  Saviour  of  the  world,  was  indeed  fubjetted 
to  many  hardffffps  and  bufferings.  And  we  muff 
deny  an  universal  divine  providence,  unlefs  wre 
fuppofe  that  Chriff  was  fubjeffed  to  thefe  buffer¬ 
ings  by  the  power  and  will  of  God.  Therefore, 
faCt  itfelf  oppofeth  the  very  fpirit  of  the  objecti¬ 
on  ;  unlefs  it  be  urged,  in  vindication  of  God’s 
righteoufnefs,  that  volenti  non  fit  injuria ;  and 
that  Chriff,  willingly  and  chearfully,  for  the  pur- 
pofes  of  the  general  good,  Jubmkted,  to  thefe  natu¬ 
ral  evils.  But  if  this  maxim  be  adopted  as  a 
folution  of  the  difficulty  which  real  faff  prefen  ts 
to  us  in  the  divine  government  5  it  will  equally 
afford  us  a  folution  of  the  difficulty  contained  in 
the  objection  before  us.  For  if  it  be  confiffenc 
with  the  character  and  righteoufnefs  of  God  to 
bring  a  fmall  degree  of  natural  evil  on  an  inno¬ 
cent  perfon,  upon  his  freely  contenting  to  it;  it 
is  equally  confiffent  to  bring  greater  degrees,  if  he 
hath  the  fubjeCt’s  free  confent.  If  the  confent  of 
the  fubjeCt  will  juftify  it  in  one  cafe,  it  will  alfo 
in  the  other.  And  if  it  was  a  reality  that  Chriff 
willingly  fubjected  himfelf  to  thofe  natural  evils 
which  the  Father  in  faCt  laid  upon  him,  for  the 
purpofes  of  the  general  good  :  the  fuppofition 
that  thefe  evils  were  eXpreflions  of  divine  anger 
againft  tinners,  will  not  at  all  obfcune  the  evi¬ 
dence  of  the  righteoufnefs  of  God. 

If  to  promote  the  general  good,  the  Saviour 
freely  and  voluntarily  fubje&ed  himfelf  to  thofe 
natural  evils  which  were  the  proper  fruits  and 

teffimonies 


1 1  s 


CHAP.  VII. 


teftirnonies  of  divine  anger  againft  the  fins  of 
men,  there  was  no  more  injuftice  done  him  in 
their  being  laid  upon  hint,  than  if  he  had  fub- 
jcfxed  himfelf  Voluntarily  to  natural  evils  on  any 
other  account,  or  for  any  other  reward.  And  if 
the  confideration  of  a  reward,  would  juftify  lay¬ 
ing  evils  upon  him  on  any  ether  account ,  or  for 
any  other  purpofe ;  it  would,  aifo,  juftify  lay¬ 
ing  evils  upon  him  as  exprejjions  of  divine  anger 
againft  fnners ,  in  cafe  he  could  receive  a  fufhei- 
ent  and  full  reward.  But  if  the  general  good  of 
the  univerfe  were  better  fecured,  and  more  high¬ 
ly  advanced  in  this  way,  than  in  any  other,  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  1'alvation  of  linnets  will  be 
efceemed,  by  the  Saviour,  a  full  and  ample  re¬ 
ward  for  all  his  hard  labour  and  fufferings.  Ac¬ 
cordingly  this  is  the  way  in  which  the  holy  Scrip¬ 
tures  teach  us  that  the  Saviour  of  the  world  is  re¬ 
warded  for  the  arduous  work  which  he  accomp- 
lilhed  by  his  death.  CfHe  fhali  fee  of  the  travel 
“  of  his  foul,  and  (hall  be  fatisfied :  by  his 
tc  knowledge  fhali  my  righteous  fervant  juftify 
“  many,  forhelhall  bear  their  iniquities.”1 

Whatever  maxims  be  adopted  in  vindication 
of  the  divine  right  eovfnejs  in  bringing  on  the  in¬ 
nocent  Saviour  thole  natural  evils  which  he  adiu~ 
ally  endured,  may  be  improved  to  equal  advan¬ 
tage,  in  vindicating  the  rightcoufnefs  of  God  in 
exprefifing  his  anger  againft  fnners  in  the  pains 
and  fufferings  of  the  Saviour. 

There  is  certainly  no  natural  abfurdity  in  fup- 
pofing  that  Chfift  fhculd  freely  confent  to  bear 
the  iniquities  of  his  people  and  that,  he  con- 
fenting  to  it,  the  Father  Ihould  lay  them  upon 

him 

■  Ifalel,  53.  li. 


CHAP.  VIII. 


119 


him.  Nor  is  there  in  this  method  of  the  recover 
r y  of  {inners,  the  leaft  appearance  of  unrightequf- 
rlefs  in  God,  or  injujlice  to  the  Redeemer.  And 
when  the  holy  Scriptures  are  fo  very  full  and 
exprefs  to  the  cafe,  as  hath  been  already  fhown  j 
no  difficulty  can  remain  in  fuppofing  that  the 
anger  of  God  which  appeared  and  was  exprefifed 
in  the  fufferings  of  Chrill,  was,  in  reality, 
againft  Tinners. 


CHAPTER  VIII* 


Showing  the  confiftency  of  full  atonement  with 
free  pardon. 


MANY  have  fuppofed  that  the  opinion  of 
thefmner’s  being  pardoned  full  atone¬ 

ment  made  for  his  fins,  is  a  palpable  abfurdity. 
And,  therefore,  that  the  do&rine  of  atonement , 
and  the  doftrines  o {free  grace  are  utterly  irrecon¬ 
cilable.  cc  For,”  fay  they,  ff  when  we  have 
tl  received  the  debt,  what  grace  is  there  in  free- 
tc  ing  the  debtor  ?  And  that,  whether  the  mo- 
c<  ney  be  paid  by  the  debtor  himfelf,  or  by  fome 
tc  other  perfon.”  Were  this  a  fimilitude  which 
would  properly  apply,  in  the  cafe  before  us ; 
it  is  acknowledged  there  would  be  a  difficul¬ 
ty.  But,  this  objection  arifes  from  a  wrong  con- 
ftruftion  of  the  do&rine  of  atonement. 

In  order  to  fhow  the  inconfiftency  of  atonement 
with  the  free  grace  of  God  in  the  falvation  of  fin- 
ners ;  nothing  further  will  be  necelfary  than  to 
Rate. 


1.  The  nature  of  pardon  and  grace  :  and 
ffiow  in  what  cafes,  and  under  what  circumftan- 
R  ces. 


CHAP.  VIII. 


i&p 

ces,  the  firmer  riiay  be  the  fubjedt  of  them.  And, 

‘  To  (how.  what  it  is  that  conftitutes  the  na¬ 
ture,  arid  makes  the  effence  of  atonement. 

I-  We  are  to  ftate  the  nature  o  $  far  don  and  grace ; 
"and  -fhow  in  what-  cafes,  and  under  what  circum- 
ftances,  the  (inner  may  be  the  fubjedt  of  them. 

The  gofvsl-i.de  a  of  grace  is,  in  general,  that  of 
good,  conferred  where  evil  is  deferved.  It  is  ef- 
iential  to  the  idea  of  grace  that  the  fubjedt  deferve 
evil.  Accordingly,  our  firft  parents,  while  in¬ 
nocent,  were  not  the  fubjects  of  grace  in  their  en¬ 
joyment  or  the  favour  of  God.  “  To  him  that 
“  worketh,  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace , 
“  hutofdelt.”'  Therefore, 

i.  When  they- enjoy  the  divine  favour,  who 
really  deferve  and  merit  the  anger  of  God ;  they 
are  then  the  fubjedts  of  grace.  When  men  en¬ 
joy  "hleffngs  and  good,  in  the  place  of  curfes  and 
evils  which  are  jufliy  due  to  them;  they  are  the 
fubjedts  of  grace.  Only  grace  can  relieve  us 
from  evils  and  fu fieri ngs  which  we  deferve. 

S.  We  are,  therefore,  of  neceffity  fubjedts  of 
grace  in  being  delivered  from  evils  which  we  jujl- 
Jy  deferve  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  in  having 
bleflings  confered  upon  us  of  which  we  are  utterly 
-unzocirthy.  No  confederation  whatever  can  take 
away  the  grace  of  thefe  bleffings,  fo  long  as  our 
defert  of  the  contrary  evils  remains. 

3.  When  no  injuftlce  would  be  done  to  men 
in  eafting  them  off  forever,  it  cannot  otherwile 
be  than  that  they  fhould  be  the  fubje&s  of  grace 
in  being  faved.  If  men  .  do  not  deferve  eternal 

'  deftrudb’On 

-nil  form.-  4.^  4'C-  ■ 


CHAP.  VIII. 


,1  2i 


definition,  it  will  riecefTarily  be  an  injufy  to  them 
to  inflit  it  on  them.  But,  when  men  feel  them- 
felv.es  to  defer ve  this  fate,  it.  wilfbe  i'mpoflibja 
for  them  to  view  it  as  any  other  than  grace  to  be 
delivered  from  it.  It  mull,  therefore  be  grace -in 
God  to  deliver  men  from  thofe  evils  which  theiu 
fins  juftly  deferve.  To  .be  faved  from  a  punifli- 
men.t  which  we  have  truly  merited  by  our  wick- 
ednefs,  rnufl  of  neceflity  be  a  mercy  to  us*.  To 
fuppofe  otherwife  would  imply  that  we  juftly  de- 
ferve  punifnment,  and  yet  that  jufiice  requires  we 
fhould  be  exempted  from  it.  .  It  is  impoffible  for 
the  finner’s  defert  of  punifhment  to  eeafq,  other- 
wife  than  by  having  actually  endured  it. 
Therefore,  it  is  impoffible  that.it  fhould  be  other- 
wife  than  mercy-,  to  the  firmer,  to  fave  him  from  the 
punifhment  whicffihe. juftly  deferves  for  his  wick- 
ednefs.  In  whatever  way  this  fa.lvation  comes  to 
him,  whether,  through  an  atonement,  or  npt-i 
ftill,  to  him  it  is  .grace ;  he.,  is  the  Tub]  eel  of 
grace.  .  ■_ 

We  may  confider  in  the  next  place.' 

II.  What  •it.hbthaf  eohftittites-  the  effence  of 
atonement  :  And  this,  in  order  to  know  whether 
atonement  for  fin  brings  obligation  on  ih.zjtiftice  of 
God  to  deliver  and  fave  the  Tinner. 


Respecting  atonement ,  it  is  to  be  ohferved  that 
it  fummarily  confifts  in  an  exhibition  of  the  righ¬ 
teous  difpleafure  .of  God  agafiift  fin,  made  in  fome 
other  way  than  in  the  punifhment  of  the  finner. 
The  real  abhorrence  in  which  God  holds  the  cha- 
rafler  of  the  finner,  would-  be  no  more  than  truly 
and  fully  exprefledin  his  eternalpu-nifliment.  It  is 
of  the  utmoft  importance  that  -  this  difppfirioh  pf 
the'  divine  mind  fhould  appear  in  the  government 

of 


122 


CHAP.  VIII, 


of  God  ;  becaufe  this  is  his  glory.  Without  this 
infinite  purity  and  hatred  of  iniquity,  he  could 
not  be  GOD — be  abfolutely  perfect.  If  divine 
government  can  be  administered  in  fuch  a  wav, 
without  the  punifhment  of  the  firmer,  as  proper¬ 
ly  to  delineate  this  difpofition  of  the  divine  mind, 
to  the  views  of  creatures  ;  the  divine  character 
v/ill  not  fuffer,  by  the  pardon  of  the  finner.  And 
in  whatever  way  this  difpofition  of  the  divine 
mind  be  delineated  ;  whether  it  be  in  the  punifh¬ 
ment  of  the  finner,  or  in  fome  other  mode  not 
lefs  expreflive  ;  the  ends  of  divine  government, 
in  general,  are  anfwered.  One  great  end  of  the 
coming  and  death  of  Chrift>  was  to  delineate  this 
difpofition  of  the  divine  mind,  and  make  a  full 
and  fenfible  exhibition  of  it.  In  his  fufferings 
and  death  this  divine  purity,  and  hatred  of  ini¬ 
quity,  were  fenfibly  and  glorioufly  exprefied. 
In  the  fufferings  of  Chriji  God  gives  us  to  fee  that 
his  own  infinite  mind  is  full  of  difpleafure  againft 
Tinners.  Chriffs  fufferings  and  death  are  a  glafs 
in  which  that  character  of  God  which  we  read  in 
the  threatnings  and  curfes  of  the  law,  may  be¬ 
come  vifible  and  confpicuous.  After  all  that 
Chriji  has  done  and  fuffered,  if  God  pardons  and 
faves  the  finner  for  his  fake :  it  will  afford  us 
no  reafon  to  believe  that  there  is  lefs  averfion  in 
the  divine  mind  from  the  chara&er  of  the  finner, 
than  the  threatnings  and  curfes  of  the  law  would 
naturally  fuggefl.  In  this  way,  therefore,  the 
honour  of  the  law  is  preferved,  though  the  firmer 
be  faved. 

■Viewed  in  this  light,  it  is  eafy  to  fee  that  the 
atonement  infers  no  obligation  on  the  juftice  of 
God,  to  pardon  and  fave  the  finner.  The  ob¬ 
jection 


CHAP.  VIII. 


I2J 


jeCtion  is,  not  that  the  purpofes  of  grace  cannot  be 
anfwexed  if  the  finner  be  not  laved,  when  atone¬ 
ment  is  made  for  his  fins ;  but,  that  atonement 
implies  an  obligation,  i u  jujlice,  to  fave  the  Tin¬ 
ner.  But,  juft  ice  requires  the  falvation  of  the 
finner,  the  Governor  of  the  world  mull  be  guil¬ 
ty  of  injuftice  in  damning  him.  To  fuppofe  that 
it  would  be  unjuji,  in  God,  to  damn  the  finner, 
evidently  implies  that  a  juft  and  holy  God  hath  not 
difpleafure  enough  in  him,  for  this  purpofe. 
And,  therefore  that  Jnch  a  degree  of  dij'pleajure 
could  be  made  vifible,  neither  in  the  atonement, 
nor  in  any  other  way.  But,  that  fuch  a  degree 
of  difpleafure  againft  finners  hath,  in  reality,  no 
exigence  in  the  divine  mind,  at  once  defiroys  all 
notions  of  gofpel  grace ,  in  their  falvation ;  and 
that>  whether  they  behaved  through  an  atonement, 
or  without  it. 

If  fuch  a  degree  of  difpleafure  againft  finners 
hath  a  real  exiftence  in  the  divine  mind  ;  no  exter¬ 
nal  evidence  of  its  exiftence  can,  poffibly,  render 
it  unjuft  for  God  to  deftroy  the  finner.  The 
higher  the  evidence  of  this  difpofition  rifes,  the 
more  muft  it  appear  grace  in  God,  to  pardon  and 
fave  the  finner.  Yea,  the  whole  evidence  we  have 
of  its  being  grace  muft  arife  from  the  fenfire 
demonftration  of  the  exiftence  of  this  pure  and  holy 
difpleafure  in  the  mind  of  God.  So  long  as  we 
conftder  the  divine  character  as  the  ftandard  of 
perfection,  we  cannot  believe  a  creature  to  de- 
ferve  any  evil  which  God  hath  not  difpleafure 
enough  to  bring  upon  him.  But,  the  more  fen- 
fible  we  are  of  the  anger  of  God,  io  long  as  we 
view  it  to  be  juft  and  righteous  ;  the  more  will  it 
appear  an  aCt  of  divine  grace  to  deliver  the  ob¬ 
ject  of  it  frqm  pqnifhment. 

The 


CHAP.  VIII. 


5  24 

The  death  and  fufferings-  of  Christ  are  a  glafs 
in  which  we  may  behold  the  feelings  of  the  di¬ 
vine  mind  toward  finners  ;  and,  read  an- abhor¬ 
rence  of  their  charadVers ;  a  difpleafure  againfl 
them,  which  eternal  deftrudtion  would  no  more 
than  fully  exp  refs.  Had  we  mo  fenfible  evidence 
of  the  exiftence  of  this  difpofition,  in  the  mind 
of  God  ;  we  could  have  no  evidence  that  the.falva-  v 
lion  of  finners  is  of  grace.  And  had  it  not  been 
for  the  coming  and  work  of  Chrift,  wre  could  not 
have  had  lenfible  evidence  of  this,  otherwife  than 
in  the  a d't u al  defcru dti on  of  finners.  Had:  God 
faved  finners  without  any  atonement,  his  govern¬ 
ment  would  have  furnifhed  no  evidence  of  any 
fiuch  averfion  of  the  divine  mind  from  the  charac¬ 
ter  of  finners*  Confequently,  there  could  not 
have  been  evidence  that  the  faivation  of  finners  is 
of  grace.  . 

According  to  this  view  .of  the  matter,  the 
Atonement  is  fo  far  from  being  inconfiftent  with 
the  dodtrine  of  grace ,  in  the  faivation  of  finners, 
that  it^xceedingly  illufirrates  it.  Atonement  is  io 
far  from*  proving  that  it  is  not  an  adt  of  grace  to 
pardon  and  fave  finners  ■,  that,  above  every  other 
confideration  whatever,  it  fnows  it  to  be  pure 
grace.  Yea,  the  atonement  of  Chrrft  is  fo  far 
from  obfcuring  divine  grace,  in.  the  faivation  of 
finners ;  that,  without  this;  grace  could  not  have 
appeared.  Had  God  faved  finners  without  do¬ 
ing  any  tiling  to  vindicate  the  honour  of  his- law, 
and  witnefs  his  infinite  hatred  of  iniquity  ;  it 
could  not  have  been  evident  that  this  faivation  is 
of  grace.  The  atonement,  therefore,  is  fo  far 
from  obfcuring  the  luftre  of  divine  grace,  that  it 
greatly  adds  to  it :  Yea,  it  is  absolutely  effential 
to  the  evidence  of  any  grace  whatever ,  in  the  fai¬ 
vation  of  finners. 


God 


CHAP.  VIII. 


*25 

God,  himfelf,  exercifeth  no  grape,  excepting 
toward  /inner  $.  They,  who  are  not  Tinners,  can¬ 
not  be  the  objects  of  grace.  The  divine  rights 
cufnefs  itfelf  is  full  fecurity,  for  the  inoncent, 
again!!  every  evil.  Grace ,  in  God,  is  the  beftow-r 
meat  of  good  upon  thofe  whofe  character  he  righ-i 
teoufly  abhors.  Grace ,  therefore,  as  a  quality 
of  the  divine  character,  can  be  feen  no  farther 
than  his  righteous  abhorrence  of  the  objedt  of 
it  becomes  vifible.  The  glory  and  greatnefs  of 
divine  grace,  can  be  eftimated  only  by  the  detef- 
tation  in  which  God-holds  the  character  of  the 
objedt  toward  whom  it  is  exercifed.  '  There¬ 
fore,  by  how  much  the  more  fenfble  the  demon- 
ftradons  of  divine  anger  are,  again!!  the  charadter 
of  the  fi nner,  by  fo  much  the  more  confpicuous  is 
the  grace  of  God,  in  his  pardon  and  falvation. 
The  clearer  views  we  have  of  the  difpleafure  of 
God,  on  one  hand  ;  the  more  lively  apprehenfion 
fhall  we  have  of  divine  grace,  on  the  other. 

Viewing  the  atonement,  therefore,  as  a  glafs 
in  which  the  righteoufne/s  of  God  may  be  feen  : 
inftead  of  obfcuring  the  luftre  of  divine  grace,  in 
the  falvation  of  fmners,  it  greatly  increafes  it* 
Yea,  the  atonement  is  the  only  glafs  in  which  the 
true  beauty  and  glory  of  the  free,  fovereign  grace 
of  God  can  be  feen. 

Obj.  <c  It  is  a  beauty  in  the  charadter  of  the 
“  civil  magiftrate  to  pardon  j  and,  this  without 
“  any  atonement ;  which  may,  neverthelefs,  be 
“  termed  grace . 

Ans.  Could  human  laws  be  framed  with 
fuch  perfedtion  as  that  their  penalties  fhould  ex- 
prefs  the  difpleafure  of  the  community  only  in  ca/es 

•where 


126 


Chap.  viii. 


i where  the  •public  good  requires  it  jljould  exijl  par¬ 
don  could  in  no  cafe  be,  either  confnftently  exer- 
cifed  by  the  iupreme  magiftrate,  or  appear  to  be 
of  grace*  Were  human  laws  then  'perfect,  it 
would  be  injurious  to  the  public  to  pardon,  in  any 
cafe  whatever ;  and  abfurd  to  lodge  a  power  to 
exercife  it,  in  any  branch  of  the  executive  autho¬ 
rity.  Pardon,  in  this  cafe,  would  be  fo  far  from 
partaking  of  the  real  nature  of  grace,  that  it  would 
be  evident  injujiice.  For  the  penalties  of  the 
law  could  never  be  incurred,  excepting  in  cafes 
where  the  common  good  requires  that  a  public 
odium  fhould  be  exercifed  and  expreffed.  There¬ 
fore,  from  the  propriety  of  pardons  in  civil  go¬ 
vernment,  we  can  infer  norhing  concerning  the 
propriety  and  beauty  of  pardons,  in  the  divine. 
And,  fhould  we  admit  as  the  cafe  now  aftually  is, 
that  it  is  an  act  of  grace ,  in  the  civil  magiftrate  to 
pardon  without  atonement ;  it  could  not,  howe¬ 
ver,  be  from  thence  inferred  that  it  would  bt  grace 
in  God ,  even  in  any  inftance  to  forgive  the  finner 
without  an  atonement. 

If*  the  difpleafure  Of  God  exift  in  every  cafe 
wherein  the  penalties  of  the  divine  law  threaten 
it;  pardon  without  an  atonement,  would  be  fo* 
far  from  being  an  aft  of  grace ,  that  it  would  be 
an  injury  to  the  public  :  And,  for  this  obvious 
reafon,  that  the  divine  difpleafure  exijls  in  no  in^ 
ftances  whatever,  but  in  thofe  wherein  the  good 
of  the  univerfe  requires  it  fhould  be  exercifed. 
'This  may  certainly  be  concluded  from  the  perfect 
and  infinite  regard  the  divine  Being  has  for  the 
greateft  good  of  the  univerfe.  But,  in  every  cafe 
wherein  the  univerfal  good  requires  that  divine 
difpleafure  fhould  exijl  and  be  exercifed ;  it  is  ex¬ 
ceedingly  evident  that  the  fame  principle  re¬ 
quires 


CHAP.  VIII. 


127 


quires  it  fiiould  alfo  be  exprejfed.  Therefore, 
pardon  cannot  confiften'cly  be  beftowed  without  an 
atonement :  Nor  could  it,  without  ibis,  be  an 
aft  of  grace. 

These  obfervations  give  us  to  fee  the  reafon 
why  the  fcheme  of  the  falvation  of  Tinners, 
through  the  atonement  of  Chrift,  is  fo  much  ce¬ 
lebrated,  in  the  gofpel,  for  its  confummate  and 
unfearchable  wifdom  :  And  why  a  crucified 
Chrift  is  reprefented  as  the  power  of  God  and  the 
wifdom  of  God.1  No  wifdom,  but  that  which  is 
abfolutely  and  infinitely  perfect,  could  ever  have 
found  a  way  wherein  the  finner  could  be  pardoned, 
and  yet  the  public  good  be  faved  :  becaufe  God  is 
not  offended,  nor  hath  the  leaft  difpoiition  to  pu- 
nifh,  excepting  in  thofe  cafes  wherein  the  pub¬ 
lic  good  requires  that  his  difpleafure  be  exprelf- 
ed.  Could  this  difpleafure  be  made  to  appear, 
and  yet  the  public  good  be  fecured :  pardon,  in 
that  cafe,  might  be  confiftently  beftowed  ;  and, 
would  appear  to  be  a  glorious  aft  of  divine  grace. 
Nothing  but  the  atonement  of  Chrift  effefts  thefe 
ends ;  and,  nothing  like  this  beftows  fuch  luftre 
and  glory  on  divine  fovereign  grace . 


CHAPTER 

*  I.  Cor.  I.  24. 


s 


i-c8  CHAP.  IX. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Shewing  in  what  way  It  way  he  accounted  for 
that  the  fufferings  of  Chrifi  f:ould  be  exceed- 
ingly  great. 

IN  order  ro  fee  a  poflibility  that  the  fufFerings  of 
Chrift  might  have  been  very  extreme,  not¬ 
withstanding  the  abfolute  perfection  of  his  moral 
character ,  we  are  to  obferve, 

i.  That  the  ground  of  happinefs  and  milery 
in  creatures,  doth  not  lie  merely  in  the  mind, 
independently  of  all  other  confiderations. 

Certain  kinds,  both  of  happinefs,  and  of 
mifery-,  are  peculiar  to  certain  particular  tempe¬ 
raments  of  mind.  But,  fufceptibility  of  pleafure 
and  pain,  is  common  to- all  creatures,  whether 
good,  or  bad.  It  is  riot  only  the  virtuous ,  who 
are  fufceptible  of  happinefs ;  or,  the  vicious , 
of  mifery.  Had  this  been  the  cafe,  the  happi¬ 
nefs  and  milery  of  creatures  wo&ld  be  the  rnea- 
fure  of  their  moral  characters,  and  exactly  pro¬ 
portionate  to  the  degrees  of  their  virtue,  or  vice. 
Cendant  experience  and  obfervation  prove  that, 
as  holinefs  and  happinefs  are  not  in  the  nature  of 
things  necefiarily  connedted  together  ;  neither  are 
fin  and  mifery.  All  agree  that  Chrifi:  endured 
Jome  natural  evil :  And,  all  know  that  finners 
enjoy  much  natural  good.  Holy  creatures  are 
therefore  fufceptible  of  fufFerings  and,  fmful 
ones,  of  enjoyment.  And,  were  it  otherwife, 
there  would  be,  neither  occafion,  nor  room  for 
moral  government :  But,  virtue  would  always 
bring  its  own  reward  ;  and  vice,  its  owrn  punifh- 
ment,  Happinefs  ccnfift$>  not  in  the  exercife  of 

defire r. 


CHAP.  IX 


l?-9 


defire,  but,  its  gratification ;  And,  mifery ,  notin 
the  exercife  of  fmful  affeblion,  but  in  lomething 
which  is  df agreeable. 

God  hath  eftablifoed  an  indiffoluble  connexion 
between  holinefs  in  this  world,  and  happinefs  in 
the  next  ;  and,  between  perfevering  wickednefs 
here,  and  cornpleat  mifery  hereafter.  This  is 
effential  to  the  mold  perfed  moral  government. 
But,  were  thefe  connexions  originated  by  the 
mere  nature  of  things,  the  neceffity  of  a  day  of 
judgmentwould  be  wholly  fuperfeded  :  And,  eve¬ 
ry  creature  would  even  now,  enjoy  all  the  rewards 
which  are  annexed  to  the  pradiee  of  virtue ;  or, 
feel  all  the  mifery  which  is  the  juft  defert  of  fin. 
It  is,  therefore,  nianifeft  that  the  natural  depen¬ 
dence  which  is  univerfally  found  in  creatures , 
whatever  be  their  moral  charaders,  renders  them 
fufceptible  of  good  and  evil,  of  pleafure  and  pain. 
There  is,  therefore,  no  natural  inconfiftency  in  fup- 
pofing  that  the  creature,  who  is  wholly  vicious, 
may  enjoy  much  natural  good  ;  or,  that  one  who 
is  wholly  virtuous,  may  fuller  extreme  mifery. 

Therefore, 

2.  There  is  no  apparent  difficulty  in  fuppo- 
fing  that  the  man  Jefus  Chrift  might  endure  a 
very  great  and  extreme  weight  of  differing.  It 
was  as  truly  compatible  with  the  power  of  God  to 
inflid:  pain  upon  this  Son  of  his  love,  as  on  any 
other  creature ;  and,  to  caufe  diftrefs  to  rife  to  a  ve¬ 
ry  great  height  in  him.  It  is  inconfiftent  with  the 
nature  of  things  to  fuppofe  that  Chrift  ffiould  fuf- 
fer  thofe  horrors  of  an  accufmg  confcience,  which 
will  make  no  inccnfiderable  part  of  the  fufferings 
of  the  damned,  in  hell ;  and,  with  the  very  de- 
fign  of  his  coming,  to  imagine  that  he  ffiould 

endure. 


CHAP.  IX. 


endure,  even  for  a  moment,  that  defpair,  which 
will  make  a  very  bitter  part  of  the  pains  of  God’s 
enemies.  There  are,  however,  other  confidera- 
tions  from  whence  diftrefs  might  arife  :  And,  fuch 
views  of  things  might  croud  in  upon  his  pure  and 
holy  mind,  as  could  not  fail  of  being  extremely 
painful. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift  was  truly  a  man  pbflTefied  of  all  the  inno¬ 
cent  paflions  and  feelings  of  human  nature.  And, 
all  the  fufferings,  the  painful  fenfations  he  ever 
endured,  were  they  greater  or  lefs,  were  in  his 
human  nature ,  and  confined  to  it.  It  was  the  hu- 
man  nature  of  Chrift  that  foffered :  an  human  na¬ 
ture,  however,  that  was  exceedingly  dignified, 
and  its  powers  greatly  enlarged  by  its  union  to  the 
divine : — — a  confederation  which,  inftead  of  di- 
minifhing,  greatly  increafed  his  fufceptibility  of 
diftrefs. 

Christ  being  thus  polfefled  of  the  paflions  and 
feelings  of  human  nature,  there  is  no  natural  ab- 
furdity  in  fuppofing  him,  however  free  from  fin, 
yet  capable  of  very  painful  fenfations.  And  as 
all  pain  is  really  feated  in  the  mind,  it  is  far  from 
being  unfupportable  that  the  power  of  God  might 
communicate  fuch  views  of  things  to  the  man 
Jefus  Chrift,  as  could  not  fail  of  being  very  dif- 
treffing  to  him.  There  is  nothing  abfurd  in  the 
luppofition  that  God  might  communicate,  to  the 
mind  of  Chrift,  a  very  clear  view,  and  lively  fenfe 
of  his  juft  and  infinite  difpleafure  againft  thofe 
whom  the  man,  Jefus,  came  to  fave  :  And  as 
little  abfurd ity  in  fuppofing  that  this  view-  and 
fenfe  of  divine  anger,  fhould  greatly  exercife  the 
mind  of  Chrift,  And  as  this  is  a  cafe  very  fup- 

pofable. 


CHAP.  IX. 


13: 

potable,  there  is  alfo  a  vifible  propriety  in  it : 
As  we  can  hardly  uriderftand  how  the  mind  of 
Chrift  ftiould,  without  it,  clearly  comprehend 
the  greatnefs  of  the  work  he  had  undertaken  ; 
and  how  arduous  a  thing  it  was  to  redeem  his 
people  from  the  curie  of  the  law,  that  they  might 
be  the  righteoulnefs  of  God  in  him. 

As  the  mind  of  Chrift  was,  unqueftionably, 
fufceptible  of  clear  views,  and  a  very  lively  fenfe 
of  divine  wrath  againft  dinners  j  it  is  no  lefs  con¬ 
ceivable  that  thefe  views,  this  fenfe,  fhould  be 
extremely  painful  and  diftreffing  to  him.  If 
there  be  any  difficulty  in  fuppofing  that  a  fenfe  of 
divine  wrath  againft  finners,  ffiould  be  very  de¬ 
ft  reding  to  the  man  Jefus  Chrift  :  it  muft  arife 
.from  one  or  other  of  thefe  confiderations,  viz. 

1.  That  this  wrath  was  not  againft  the  perfoa 

of  Chrift  :  Or, 

2.  That  the  large  and  extended  views  of 
things,  which  his  union  to  the  divine  nature 
would  neceflarily  fuppofe  him  to  be  pofleflfed  of, 
would  as  certainly  prevent  pain  of  mind  ;  as  the 
clear,  full  light  of  heaven  will  prevent  it,  in  the 
faints  who  are  fpeCtators  of  the  vengeance  actu¬ 
ally  executed  on  the  final  enemies  of  God  :  Or, 

3.  That  the  beauty  of  the  divine  character 
which  fhone  in  that  difpleafure  of  God  againft 
finners,  which  was  exhibited  in  view  to  the  mind 
of  Chrift  ;  would  neceftarily  occafion  the  mani- 
feftation  of  it  to  be  pleading  inftead  of  painful. 

1.  The  firft  objection  is,  that  the  wrath  of 
God,  a  view  of  which  was  communicated  to  the 
mind  of  Chrift,  was  not  againft  him  perfonally, 

but 


132 


CHAP.  IX. 


but  againft  finncrs.  According  to  this  objedtion 
we  are  to  remember,  it  is  as  hard  to  conceive  that 
a  view  of  divine  wrath  againft  finners  fhould 
give  the  leafi  degree  of  pain  to  the  mind  of  Chrift, 
as  that  it  fhould  fill  it  with  diftrefs.  For  that 
objedt  which'is  capable  of  miniftering  any  degrees 
of  pain,  if  it  be  of  fufficient  magnitude,  may  fill 
the  mind  with  anguifh.  And  if  fuch  views  of 
the  anger  of  God  againft  thofe  whom  Chrift  came 
to  fave,  could  be  communicated  to  his  pure  mind, 
as  would  affedt  him  with  the  leaft  uneafinefs  and 
concern  :  the  communications  might  be  fo  en¬ 
larged  as  to  raife  uneafinefs  and  forrow  to  a  very 
great  height. 

But  if  a  fenfeand  view  of  divine  anger  againft 
men,  could  give  no  pain  to  the  mind  of  Chrift 
bpcau/e  he  was  not  the  objedt  it  muft  have  been 
becaufe  he  was  fufceptible  only  of  pleafures  and 
pains  that  were  merely  'perfional  which  would  be 
to  reproaeh  him  -with  that  fame  felfifh,  contradted 
fpirir,  which  he  .came  to  eradicate  from  his  peo¬ 
ple.  This  would  fuppofe  that  he  felt  no  intereft 
in  his  church ;  and  that,  too,  at  the  very  time 
he  was  laying  down  his  life  for  them. 

It  is  very  manifeft  that  the  intereft  we  have  in 
a  perfon,  or  an  objedt,  is  the  thing  that  gives 
fpring  to  our  concern  about  it.  And  however 
fovereign  the  objedt  may  be  from  cur  per/cns  or 
/elves,  yet  an  intereft  of  our  afijedlicns  in  it,  lays  a 
foundation  for  our  deriving  from  it,  either  joy  or 
forrow,  pleafure  or  pain.  If  the  intereft  of  the 
community,  for  inftance,  engages  our  attention 
and  afredtions,  1  more  than  any  intereft  that  is 
merely  perfonal ;  whatever  affedts  the  community, 
will  more  fenfibly  exercife  our  minds,  than  any 
thing  that  merely  affedts  our  own  private  intereft. 

A  follower 


CHAP.  IX. 


* 32 


A  follower  of  Chrift,  it  may  eafily  be  imagined, 
has  fucb  an  intereft  in  his  kingdom,  as  more  ien- 
libly  to  feel  the  injuries  that  are  done  to  it,  than 
any  private  injury  to  himfelf.  And  if  vengeance 
muft  be  diredted  againft.  himfelf  perfonally,  or 
againft  the  intereft  of  his  adored  faviour ;  the 
latter  may  appear  to  him  of  fuch  fuperior  import* 
ance,  as  neceffarily  engages  him  to  facrifice  his 
own  to  that  of  his  glorious  Lord.  And  if  this 
be  the  effect  which  the  fpirit  of  Chrift  produces 
in  the  hearts  of  men  ;  there  can  furely  be  no  diffi¬ 
culty  in  conceiving  that  the  affection  which 
Chrift  himfelf  had  for  his  church,  rendered  him 
fufceptible  of  great  pain,  in  view  of  the  juft  and 
awful  difpleafure  of  God  againft  his  people  for 
their  fins.  It  would  indeed  be  utterly  inconceiv¬ 
able  that  Chrift  fhould  fo  love  his  people,  as  to 
lay  down  his  life,  and  become  a  curfe  for  them  ; 
and  yet  be  wholly  unaffected  with  a  fenfe  of  the 
heat  of  that  divine  anger  which  he  faw  was  againft 
them. 

The  reafon  why  the  mind  is  affected  in  a  view 
of  objects,  is  not  originally  their  relation  to  a  pri¬ 
vate  feparate  intereft  ;  but  their  relation  to  an  in¬ 
tereft  to  which  the  affedtions  are  united ,  be  it  ei¬ 
ther  public  or  private.  Therefore,  in  proportion 
to  the  concern  which  the  man  Jefus  Chrift  felt 
for  the  falvation  of  his  people,  would  his  mind 
be  affedted  in  a  view  of  that  dreadful  wrath  there 
was  againft  them.  This  is  not  only  conceivable, 
but  is  a  fuppofition  that  is  altogether  natural. 
Therefore,  that  the  divine  anger,  which  was 
exhibited  to  the  view  of  Chrift,  was  not  againft 
him  perfonally  but  againft  the  church  *  is  a 
confideration  which  gives  us  no  reafon  to 
fuppofe  that  it  might  not  affedf  him  with  ve- 

*7 


*34 


CHAP.  IX. 


ry  deep  diftrefs.  Chrift  had  no  degree  of  felf- 
ifhnefs.  His  and  his  church’s  intereft  were  one. 
Therefore  his  good-will  to  the  church  would  oc¬ 
casion  the  divine  difpleafure  to  be  as  fenfibly  felt, 
as  if  it  had  been  againft  him  ;  at  lead  as  far  as  he 
perceived  it,  and  had  a  view  of  it  communicated 
to  him. 

2.  Another  objection  againft  the  fuppofition 
that  the  fufferings  of  Chrift  could  be  fo  extreme 
as  has  been  reprefented,  is,  that  the  large  and  ex¬ 
tended  views  of  things,  which  his  union  to  the 
divine  nature  would  neceffarilv  fuppofe  him  to 
be  polfeffed  of,  would  as  certainly  prevent  pain 
of  mind  in  him  ;  as  the  clear,  full  light  of  hea¬ 
ven  will  prevent  it,  in  the  faints,  who  are  fpecla- 
tors  of  the  vengeance  actually  executed  on  the 
final  enemies  of  God. 

This  objection  as  ftrongly  denies  the  poffibility 
of  Chrift’s  differing  the  leaf  diftrefs  of  mind,  as 
th e  greatef.  And  therefore,  fuppofe th  it  as  un¬ 
accountable  that  he  fhould  weep  over  Jeru/alemy 
cr  at  the  tomb  of  Lazarus ,  as  that  he  fhould  en¬ 
dure  the  mod  extreme  agonies  of  mind,  in  the 
garden  and  on  the  crofs.  But  it  is  to  be  remem¬ 
bered  that  however  real  and  intimate  the  union 
was  between  the  human  nature  of  Chrift,  and  the 
divine  ;  the  former  was  as  wholly  dependent  on 
God,  as  any  other  human  nature  ;  and  in  itfelf 
as  fufceptible  of  forrow.  Views  of  things  that  would 
be  pleafant,  or  painful,  might  be  communicated, 
or  withholden,  according  to  the  mere  good  plea- 
fure  of  God.  Therefore,  no  poffible  union  of 
the  human  nature  of  Chrift,  to  the  divine ,  would 
render  the  former  invulnerable  or  neceffarily  un- 
fufceptible  of  diftrefs. 

But  it- is  objected,  further, 

j.  That 


CHAP.  IX,  1 35 

3.  That  the  beauty  of  the  divine  character 
which  fhone  in  that  difpieafure  of  God  againd 
dinners,  which  was  exhibited,  in  view,  to  the 
mind  of  Chrid  ;  would  neceffarily  occafion  the 
manifeftations  ofit  to  be  pleafing  and  delightful, 
indead  of  painful  and  difirefling. 

This  objedion  reds  on  the  fuppofition  that  it 
is  impofiible  we  fhould  receive  pain  from  any 

thing  vvhich  appears  beautiful  and  excellent - - 

That  even  the  contempt  of  a  valuable  friend,  lofes 
its  power  to  wound,  as  foon  as  ever  we  can  be¬ 
lieve  that  we  deferve  it.  But  confcant  experi¬ 
ence  teaches  di redly  the  reverfe  to  be  true. 
When  we  are  confcious  that  the  difpieafure  which 
is.  exercifed  againd  us  is  undderved  the  charac¬ 
ter  of  him  who  indulges  it,  mud  of  necefiity  fink 
in  our  edeem.  And,  no  fooner  is  his  charader 
difedeerned,  than  his  difpieafure  is  difregarded. 
We  pay  no  regard  to  the  contempt  of  an  enemy 
while  that  of  a  friend  never  fails  to  wound.  A 
confcioufnefs  that  the  difpieafure  which  is  ex¬ 
ercifed  againd  us  is  righteous ;  is  the  very 
thing  that  gives  it  an  edge.  A  fenfe  of  God’s 
being  offended,  of  itjelf  gives  no  pain  to  his 
enemies  ;  but  when  we  become  his  friends,  and 
feel  that  his  anger  is  juft  and  glorious,  a  fenfe  of 
his  difpieafure  immediately  becomes  painful. 
Were  it  otherwife,  true  goodnefs,  upon  its  taking 
place  in  the  heart  of  a  finner,  would  immediately 
render  it  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  he  were 
the  objed  of  divine  favour  or  anger  ;  and  that 
for  this  obvious  reafon,  that  the  fame  infinitely 
beautiful  charader  of  God  fhines  in  the  latter  as 
in  the  former. 

It  is,  therefore,  manifeft^  that  the  beauty  of 
T  the  ' 


CHAP.  IX. 


tjie  divine  difpleafure,  will  not  cccafion  the  ma- 
nifeftations  of  it  to  be  lefs  painful  to  an  ingenu¬ 
ous  mind  ;  but  more  fo  :  becaufe  this  is  the  very 
confideration  that  gives^  it  an  edge,  and  caufes  it 
to  wound,  when  it  appears  to  be  againft  an  ob¬ 
ject  in  which  we  feel  ourfelves  greatly  interefted. 

These  things  being  fo,  it  is  manifeft  that  the 
human  nature  of  Chrift  was  JuJceptibls  of  buffer¬ 
ings  from  any,  and  every  quarter  from  whence 
they  could  be  derived  to  innocent  men  ;  and  that 
to  as  much  greater  a  degree  as  his  human  nature 
might  be  fuperior  to  that  of  others. 

It  is  hence  manifeft, 

I.  That  the  Father  could  withhold  from  the 
human  nature  of  Chrift,  thofe  views  of  himfelf, 
and  thofe  divine  communications,  which  were  the 
chief  delight  and  joy  of  his  heart.  This  may  ea- 
fily  be  conceived  to  be  pcftible  :  And  a  denial  of 
the  pofUbility  of  it,  involves  the  mcft  manifeft 
abfurdity.  And  fhould  it  be  fo  that  the  divine 
being  fhould  withhold  from  the  man  Jefus  Chrift, 
thofe  manifeftations  of  himfelf  which  had,  before, 
been  the  fupport  and  comfort  of  his  life  ;  it  can¬ 
not  Qtherwife  be,  than  that  he  fhould  be  filled 
with  forrow  and  diftrefe.  For  the  greater  were 
the  delight  and  joy  which  the  Saviour  had  in 
fucb  divine  communications  ;  the  more  pungent 
would  be  his  forrow,  upon  their  being  withholden 
from  him  :  Nor  could  the  certainty  of  their  fu¬ 
ture  return,  be  in  any  meafure  iufficient  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  pain  occafioned  by  the  prejent  hidings 
of  God’s  face. 

And,  as  this  is  evidently  poftible,  Chrift’s  own 
words  while  in  his  agony  and  on  the  crofs  ;  and 

the 


CHAP.  IX. 


*■37 


the  language  in  which  his  furrow  and  lamentation 
were,  before,  prophetically  defcribed  ■,  both  con¬ 
cur  to  prove  this  in  fad  to  have  been  the  cafe, 
<c  My  God,  my  God,  why  halt  thcu  forfaken  me  ? 
**  why  art  thou  fo  far  from  helping  me,  and  from 
tc  the  words  of  my  roaring  ?  How  long,  O  Lord, 
<c  wilt  thou  bid's  thyfelf,  forever  ?  lhail  thv  wrath 
“  burn  like  fire  ?” 1  This  is  the  language  of 
Chrift;  and  this  the  defcription  of  his  diltrefs  : 
And  the  terms  are  but  the  natural  expreftlons  of  a 
heart  filled  with  forrow,  and  now  languifhing  un¬ 
der  a  withdrawment  of  thofe  divine  communica¬ 
tions  which  had  before  been  its  fupport  and  life. 
And  when  it  is  plainly  a  fuppofable  cafe,  that 
God  might  fo  hide  himfelf  from  the  man  Jefus, 
as  to  occafion  in  him  great  forrow  and  grief; 
and  the  language  in  which  the  fuffering  Saviour  of 
the  world  breathes  out  his  farrows,  fo  evidently 
concurs  with  fuch  an  idea  of  the  matter,  and  is 
fo  expreffive  of  it ;  we  have  abundant  reafon  to 
fuppofe  that  this  was  in  reality  the  cafe. 

2.  God  could  fo  clothe  himfelf  with  power, 
and  exhibit  his  awful  anger,  in  the  manifeftations 
he  made  of  himfelf  to  the  man  Jefus  Chrift,  as 
could  not  fail  of  being  exceedingly  amazing  and 
diftreffing.  Innocent  creatures,  we  have  already 
proved,  are  not  unfufceptible  of  fuch  impreffions : 
Nor  is  it  incompatible  with  the  power  of  God  to 
give  them.  The  human  nature  of  Chrift,  how¬ 
ever  united  to  the  divine,  was  not  unfufceptible 
of  fuch  impreftlofis.  And  divine  power  might 
fuftain  it  under  a  much  greater  weight  of  diftrefs, . 
of  this  kind,  than  equals  the  common,  natural 
powers  of  man.  And  as  it  is  far  from  being  un- 
fuppofable  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  this 

ihould 

1  Pfa.  22.  3.  and  £9.  46,  Matt.  27,  46. 


# 


CHAP.  IX. 


13S 

fhould  have  been  the  cafe  3  the  forrow  and  amaze¬ 
ment  which  feized  our  bleffed  Lord,  as  his  death 
approached  ;  and  his  ftrong  cries  to  the  Father, 
if  it  were  pofiible,  that  the  cup  might  pafs  from 
him  ;  very  naturally  lead  us  to  fuppofe  that  God 
did  put  on  awful  frowns,  and  difpiay  divine  an¬ 
ger,  in  the  manifeftations  which  he  at  that  period 
made  of  himfelf  to  Chrift.  It  would  alio  be  no 
more  than  naturalto  fuppofe,  when  the  circurn- 
ftances  of  the  cafe  are  duely  confdered,  that  the 
views  of  himfelf  which  God  exhibited  to  the  mind 
of  C  hr  iff,  correfponded  with  his  external  treat¬ 
ment  of  him  in  his  providence. 

As  all  created  nature  is  in  itfeif  imperfect,  and 
abfolutely  dependent  on  God  ;  it  is  manifeit  that, 
with  refpedt  to  views  of  things,  and  divine  com¬ 
munications,  God  might  grant  or  withhold,  juft 
as  he  faw  fit.  And  (hould  the  Father  withhold 
from  his  Ion  Jefus,  in  his  laid  hours,  thofe  com¬ 
munications  which  had,  before,  been  his  delight 
and  life  ;  and  at  the  fame  time  Communicate  to 
him  fuch  a  fenfe  of  his  righteous  and  awful  dif- 
pleafure  againft  thofe  whom  he  came  to  redeem 
and  fave,  as  he  was  manireftly  capable  of  receiv¬ 
ing  ;  it  is  exceedingly  evident,  both  from  Chrift’s 
unalterable  love  to  God,  and  his  invincible  at¬ 
tachment  to  the  good  of  his  church,  that  it  could 
not  be  otherwife  than  that  he  fnould  feel  inex- 
prefilble  amazement  and  diftrefs. 

There  is  not  the  leait  need  of  fuppofing  that 
the  divine  difpleafure  fhould  be  againft  the  per- 
fon  of  Chrift,  in  order  to  his  being  deeply  pain¬ 
ed  by  fuch  a  view  of  it  as  might  be  made  to  him. 
And  there  is  no  objection  arifing  from  tilt ‘perfecti¬ 
on  of  Chrift’s  character,  or  from  the  union  of  his 
human  nature  to  the  divine ,  againft  fuppofing 


CHAP.  IX, 


i39 


that  here  was  in  fabt  'the  fource  of  that  pain  cf 
mind  which  he  aft u ally  endured  j  that  will  not 
be  of  equal  weight  againft  the  fuppofition  of  a 
foffibility  that  he  fnou  Id  endure  any  fain  of  mind 
whatever.  If  the  perfect  bolinefs  of  thzman  Jefus 
Ghrifh,  and  the  union  of  his  human  nature  to  the 
divine,  would  render  it  naturally  impoffible  that 
he  fhonld  receive  pain  of  mind  from  the  confe¬ 
derations  already  fuggefted  as  the  ground  of  his 
greateft  fufferings  ;  they  would  render  it  impof¬ 
fible  that  he  fhould  perceive  pain  of  mind  in  the 
view  of  any  objects  whatever  that  could  be  pre- 
fented  to  him. 

As  to  the  propriety  of  the  Saviour’s  being  treat¬ 
ed  in  fuch  a  manner  as  this,  when  he  was  kimfrif 
the  great  fin-offering  for  the  world  ;  we  need  only 
obferve  that  the  character  of  God,  as  the  fupreme 
Ruler  and  Judge,  was  greatly  and  efpecially  con¬ 
cerned.  It  was  never  defigned  that  the  perfonal 
obedience  and  death  of  Chrift  here  upon  earth, 
notwithftanding  his  participation  of  the  effence 
of  God,  fhould  completely  exemplify  the  whole, 
and  every  part  of  the  charabter  of  the  fupreme 
governor  of  the  world,  to  whom  atonement  was 
to  be  made.  This  could  not  poffibly  be  done, 
fo  long  as  Chrift  fuftained  the  charabter  of  a  fer- 
vant  and  abfed  in  a  fubordinate  capacity.  But 
whenever  a  facrihce  of  atonement  is  offered  to 
God,  the  charabter  of  tho fe  for  whom  the  offer¬ 
ing  is  made,  and  of  him  to  whom  the  facrihce 
is  offered,  are  both  concerned  ;  and  both  to  be, 
in  fome  way,  clearly  expreffed  and  brought  to 
view  ;  in  order  that  the  controverfy  may  be  clear¬ 
ly  underltood,  and  a  reconciliation,  honourable 
to  the  offended ,  and  fafe  to  the  offender,  may  take 
place  in  confequence  of  the  offering.  It  became 


14® 


CHAP.  IX. 


the  Saviour,  therefore,  when  he  was  about  to 
offer  up  bimfelf  as  a  facrifice  of  atonement  for  Hn, 
as  much  as  was  pofiibie,  to  put  himfelf  in  the 
place  of  the  finner.  And  it  equally  became  the 
"■Sovereign  of  the  univerfe  to  exprefs,  in  a  lively 
manner,  his  feelings  toward  the  finner,  and  his 
righteous  anger  againft  him,  in  his  treatment  of 
the  facrifice .  This  idea  of  things  is  implied  in 
the  very  inftitution  offacrinces  for  fin  ;  and  very 
naturally  fprings,  even  from  the  very  appoint¬ 
ment  of  a  Jiibfiitute  for  finners. 

Thus  it  evidently  appears  that  there  is  no 
greater  difficulty  in  accounting  for  the  fufferings 
of  Chrifc,  on  the  prefent  hypothefis,  than  on  any 
other  fuppofed  ground  whatever  ;  nor  any  abfur- 
dity  in  fuppofing  them  to  have  been  inexpreffi- 
hly  great.  And  what  has  been  before  cbferved 
refpefting  God’s  great  end  in  the  creation  and 
government  of  the  world,  the  original  ground 
and  neceffity  of  an  atonement,  and  the  adtual 
fubftitution  of  Chrift  in  the  place  of  the  finner 
ail  concurs  to  ftrengthen  and  confirm  thefe  ob- 
fervations ;  and  prove  that  the  principal  weight 
of  Chrift’s  fufferings  arofe  from  the  deep  impreffi- 
ons  which  were  made  upon  his  mind,  of  the  aw¬ 
ful  anger,  the  fore  difpleafure  of  Go.d  againft 
finners. 


CHAPTER 


€H£P.  X, 


14s 


CHAPTER  X- 

Showing  in  what  Jenfe  atonement  is  made  for  -the 
Jins  of  the  whole  world. 

IT  has  been  the  common  belief  of  chriftians 
that  the  death  of  Chrift:  is,  in  its  own  nature, 
a  fufficient  atonement  for  the  fins  of  the  whole 
human  race.  And  the  general  offers  and  invita¬ 
tions  of  the  gofpd,  feem  evidently  to  countenance 
fuch  an  opinion.  For  if  the  atonement  be  not 
fufficient  for  the  fins  of  all  it  will  be  difficult  to 
fee  how  the  offers  of  mercy  may,  confidently, 
be  made  to  all.  And  if  mercy  through  an  atone¬ 
ment,  may  be  confidently  offered  to  all ;  it  will 
be  afked,  why  may  it  not,  alfo,  be  confidently 
exercifed  toward  all  and  fo  all  be  finally  faved  ? 

Whether  the  doftrine  of  univerfal  falvation 
be  a  natural  and  certain  confequence  of  Chaffs 
Satisfaction ,  will  depend  upon  the  ideas  that  are 
entertained  of  the  Juffciency  of  the  atonement 
which  is  a&ually  made  for  the  fins  of  men. 

It  is  therefore  to  be  obferved, 

I.  That  if  by  the  fufficieney  of  Chrift’s  atone* 
ment  be  meant  fuch  a  d if  flay  of  divine  right eouff 
nefs  as  fuf  erfedes  all  itfe  of  funijhment  in  the  divine 
government ;  the  atonement  made  by  Chrift  is 
not  fufficient  for  the  recoveiy  of  all.  It  is  plain 
that  all  the  valuable  ends  of  punifhment  were  not 
anfwered  by  the  fufferings  of  Chrift.  For  both 
reafon  and  revelation  affure  us  that  the  evils 
brought  on  mankind,  in  the  prefent  ftare,  are 
fruits  of  divine  anger.  And  if  univerfal  peace 
and  happinefs  in  the  future  world,  may  certainly 

be 


CHAP.  X, 


▼  4  O 

L  T  ~ 

be  inferred  from  the  furTe rings  of  Chrifl ;  it  wj.ll  be 
diulcult  to  give  a  reafon  why  fo  many  evils  take 
place  in  the  prelent.  If  divine  anger  has  been  fo 
abundantly  displayed  in  the  atonement,  asto  render 
all  future  punifhment  unneceffary  ;  it  is  hard  to 
conceive  the  reafon  why  fo  man'v  evils  are  inflifl- 
edon  the  human  race,  in  the  prefent  world.  The 
prefent  futferings  of  mankind  are  an  unanfwerable 
proof  that,  however  perfedhthe.  atonement  be,  in 
the  divine  view,  all  the  valuable  ends  of  punilh- 
ment  are  riot  actually  anfwered,  by  it.  For  if  it 
would  be  inconfiflent  with  full  atonement,  for 
God  to  bring  evils  on  men,  in  the  future  world  ; 
it  would  be  equally  inconfiflent,  for  him  to  bring 
evils  on  them,  in  the  prefent.  If  on  account  of 
the  atonement,  juflice  demands  an  exemption 
from  all  punifliment  in  the  next  world, j  it  equal¬ 
ly  demands  it  in  this.  It  is  therefore  evident, 
from  fact,"  whatever  difplays  of  divine  righteouf- 
nefs  and  anger  were  made  in  the  bufferings  of 
Chrifl  j  that  all  the  purpofes  of  divine  benevo¬ 
lence  cannot  be  anfwered  without  a  difplay  of  the 
fame  glorious  attributes  in  a  variety  of  evils 
brought  upon  men.  And  if  it  may  fubferve  the 
purpofes  of  divine  benevolence  to  bring  evils  on 
men  in  th's  world  ;  we  can  by  no  means  be  cer¬ 
tain  that  it  will  not  fubferve  the  fame  glorious 
purpofes,  to  inPuift  evils  on  them  in  the  next.  If 
temporary  evils  may  anl’wer  valuable  ends  in  the 
government  of  God,  we  cannot  be  certain  that 
eternal  ones  may  not  alfo.  If  evils  are  neceffary 
to  the  fulled,  difplay  of  the  divine  glory  ;  we 
have  no  fuSicient  authority  from  the  atonement  to 
deny  that  they  always  will  be  neceffary.  If  atone¬ 
ment  doth  not  prevent  their  prefent,  neceffitv  and 
ufe  ;  we  have  no  evidence  that  it  will  their  future. 


“  But” 


CHAP.  X. 


1 4  3 


“  But”  fays  the  objector,  cc  the  evils  which  are 
cc  brought  on  mankind,  in  the  prefent  ftate^  are 
tc  only  defigned  to  form  and  raife  the  fubjedt  to 
“  higher  degrees  of  felicity  in  the  next  world  : 
fC  And  therefore  are  fo  far  from  manifefting  di- 
C£  vine  anger,  that  they  are  but  the  natural  ex- 
tf  preffions  of  God’s  kindnefs  to  the  fufferer. 
£f  Confequently,  all  the  difplays  of  punitive  juf- 
“  tice  that  ever  are  to  be  made,  were  in  fadl 
cc  made  in  the  fufferings  of  ChrifL” 

Besides  the  exprefs  declarations  of  the  word 
of  God,  which  abundantly  prove  that  the  evils 
brought  upon  the  world,  are  fruits  of  divine  an¬ 
ger  ;  it  is  to  be  obferved  that  this  objedbion  goes 
on  a  ground  which  denies  the  neceffity  of  an  atone¬ 
ment,  or  of  any  exercife  of  punitive  juftice  :  And 
therefore  cannot  confidently  infer  univerfal  fal- 
vation  from  the  atonement.  The  objection  fup- 
pofeth  that  the  evils  which  God  brings  on  the 
human  race,  are  no  evidence  of  divine  anger  : 
Confequently,  univerfal  falvation  cannot  be  in- 
fered  from  a  difplay  of  divine  anger  in  the  buffer¬ 
ings  of  Chrift.  The  objection  fuppofes  that  the 
evils  brought  on  men  are  only  defigned  to  beget 
in  them  a  higher  relifh  of  happinefs  ;  and  there¬ 
fore,  that  infbead  of  teftifying  anger,  they  exprefs 
nothing  but  kindnefs  ;  and  will  certainly  ilTue  in. 
higher  degrees  of  felicity. 

To  the  objection,  confidered  in  this  light,  it 
may  be  replied, 

i .  That  it  is  far  from  being  evident  that  merely 
a  fenfe  of  mifery,  on  the  whole,  increafes  happi¬ 
nefs.  In  order  to  take  away  the  force  of  the  ar¬ 
gument  for  future  punifhment,  which  would  na¬ 
turally  arife  from  the  evils  of  the  prefent  date; 

U  it 


1 44 


CHAP.  X. 


it  muft  be  fuppofed  that  pain  and  mifery  heighten 
plea furs?  j  and  are  ni'cejfery  to  increafe  the  reiifn 
of  the  good  which  it  is  fuppofed  is  laid  up  for 
men  in  the  next  world.  And,  therefore,  that 
there  is  no  evidence,  from  the  evils  of  the  prefent 
{bate,  that  God  is  angry  ;  or  that  he  has  not  the 
highed;  good  of  every  fubjedt  really  at  heart. 
Thus  it  is  fa  id,  it  is  well  known  that  Icjfes  fweet- 
en  enjoyments  ;  pain,  pleafure  j  and  f chiefs , 
health.  But  that  this  argument  may  have  weight, 
it  muft  be  fuppofed  that  men  may  confidently 
(hoof?  to  lore  1'ome  of  their  prefer. t  comforts,  in 
order  to  fweeten  the  enjoyment  of  thofe  that 
remain — choofe  fain  to  heighten  pleafure  ;  and 
fi chiefs  in  order  to  enjoy  health.  But  would  any 
man,  in  his  fenfes,  make  fucn  a  choice  ?  would 
any  man  be  ghd  of  pain  and  fichzefs ,  that  he 
might  know  the  pleafure  of  health — choofe  to 
have  his  houfe  confumed  by  fire,  that  he  might 
enjoy  the  efcape  of  his  wife  and  children — or  lofe 


one  child ,  that  lie  might  take  gieater  comfort  in 
tire  reft  r  Common  ftnfe,  and  the  very  feelings 
of  mankind  revolt  from  the  fuppofition.  And 
vet  ail  this  muft  be  fuppofed,  before  the  fenti- 
mentthat  prefent  evils  are  no  tefli monies  of  divine 
anger,  can  be  admiffible.  For  if  natural  evils 
brought  upon  us  in  this  world >  are  no  teftimonles 
of  divine  anger  ,  there  is  no  evidence  that  the  fa¬ 
vour  end  friendfhjp  of  God  will  fecure  us  againft 
them,  in  the  next.  If  they  are  a  necefifary  mean 
of  increafing  felicity  in  the  prefent  (late  ;  where 
is  the  evidence  that  they  will  not  be  fo  in  the  fu¬ 
ture  ?  And  to  what  a  height  God  may,  in  his 
kind  refs,  raife  them  in  the  next  world,  it  will  be 
impoffible  for  us  with  any  kind  of  certainty,  to 
determine.  The  objection  before  us  refls  on  the 
fuppofition  that  our  pleafures  will  be  but  feebfe. 


CHAP.  X. 


i45 


and  our  enjoyments  fcon  languish  ;  unlefs  enli¬ 
vened  by  a  fenfe  of  pain.  And  il  lo,  there  can 
be  no  evidence  that  we  fhall  ever  arrive  at  a  hap¬ 
pier  ftate  of  exiftcnce,  than  the  preient  ;  or  be  in 
a  iituation  where  the  intermixture  ot  good  and  evil 
will  On  the  whole,  be  more  favourable  to  felicity. 
But  if,  on  the-  other  hand,  notwithitanding  the 
atonement,  divine  anger  be  manifefted  in  bringing 
evils  on  men  in  this  worlds  it  ,  can  with  no  cer¬ 
tainty  be  inferred  from  this  doctrine  that  the  wif- 
dom  of  God  will  not  fee  it  to  be  neceffary  to 
bring  evils  on  mankind,  in  the  world  to  come. 

2.  But  if  the  objection  goes  on  the  fuppontion 
that  the  evils  and  lb ffe rings  of  the  prefent  flare 
give  clearer  vie'ws  of  the  riches  and  glory  of  di¬ 
vine  grace  and  in  that  way  prepare  the  fubje£b 
for  higher  enjoyment ;  this  will  imply  that  thefe 
evils  are  teftirnonies  of  divine  an?er.  And  if  a 

o 

view  of  divine  anger  be  neceffary  to  the  cleared 
underftanding,  and  the  higheft  fenfe,  of  the  na¬ 
ture  and  excellency  of  divine  grace  ■  how  can  we 
be  Certain  that  it  is  not  neceffary  to  the  higheft 
felicity  of  the  human  race,  that  fome  manifeltati- 
ons  of  divine  anger  fhould  be  made  to  eternity  ? 
and  therefore  that  the  happinefs  of  the  race,  on 
the  whole,  may  not  be  increafed  by  means  of  the 
deft  ruction  of  fome  part  of  it?  At  leak  fo  much 
is  evident,  that  there  is  no  ground  on  which  the 
objection  before  us  can  have  weight,  that  will 
imply  the  lead  abfurdity  in  the  dodtrine  of  eter¬ 
nal  punifhmcnt.  Nor  is  there  any  thing  in  the 
atonement  more  difficult  to  reconcile  to  future 
manifeftations  of  divine  anger,  than  to  chafe 
which  are  in  faft  made  in  the  -prefent  world. 

II.  If  by  the Jufficiency .  of  Chrilt’s  atonement, 
be  meant  fuch  a  manifcftation  of  divine  difplea- 


CHAP.  X. 


146 

fure  againft  the  wickednefs  of  men,  as  is  enough 
to  convince  every  candid  fpcdtator,  that  the  dif- 
pofition  of  the  divine  mind  is  perfectly  conform¬ 
able  to  the  true  fpirit  of  God’s  written  law  ;  it 
may  be  truly  faid  that  there  is  fufficient  atone¬ 
ment  made  for  the  fins  of  the  whole  world.  It  was 
apparently,  the  defign  of  God  that  we  Pnould  infer y 
from  the  bufferings  of  Chriit,  the  awful  effects  of 
divine  anger,  ihould  it  fall  with  its  full  weight 

O'  O 

upon  us.  Therefore,  the  Saviour,  alluding  to 
his  own  bufferings,  fays,  fC  For  if  they  do  thele 
“  things  in  a  green  tree ,  what  ihall  be  done  in 
££  the  dry  ?:>I  We  cannot  rationally  fuppofe  that 
Chriit  would  have  reafoned  in  this  manner,  unlefs 
his  own  bufferings  had  beep,  a  fpecimen  of  divine 
anger,  from  whence  very  amazing  effefts,  ihould 
it  fall  immediately  upon  us,  might  be  inferred. 

When  we  con-fid er  the  infinite  dignity  of  the 
character  of  Chriit,  the  bufferings  which  he  en¬ 
dured,  in  the  place  which  he  fuftained,  give  us 
as  lively  apprehenfions  of  the  righteous  and  inex¬ 
orable  anp-er  of  God  againft  iinners,  as  ail  the 
awful  threatnings  of  the  law  can  pollibly  excite  m 
us.  And,  every  one  who  receives  the  testimony 
of  Chriit,  and  truly  gives  into  tire  import  of  his 
death,  thereby  bets  to  his  leal  that  God  is  true  : 
Not  only  that  the  law  itfelf  is  right ;  but  that 
the  government  of  God  is  perfectly  conformable 
to  the  true  fpirit  of  it. 

Here  there  is  a  foundation  laid,  fufiicientjy 
broad,  for  the  general  invitations  or  the  gofpel  j 
and  for  that  joyful  proclamation,  that  whoever 
will,  may  come  and  take  of  the  waters  oflife  freely. 
No  glafs  had  ever  yet  been  held  up  before  men, 
in  which  the  divine  wrath  might  be  ib  clearly 
feen  :  Nor  any  thing  ever  exhibited,  in  the  di¬ 
vine 

’  Luke,  23.  31. 


CHAP.  X, 


*47 


vine  government.,  which  would  raife  the  ideas  of 
it,  in  creatures,  to  fuch  a  height  j  or  enable 
them  to  form  jo  juft  an  eftimate  of  it. 

Here  the  direct  end  of  atonement  is  anfwered  ; 
and  fuch  a  manifeftation  made  of  divine  rights - 
oufnefs,  as  prepared  the  way  for  a  canfifteni  exer- 
cife  of  mercy.  Nov;,  God  would  not  apoear  to 
give  up  his  law,  even  though  he  pardoned  the 
linnet  :  Or,  to  exhibit  a  difpolition  diverfe  from 
that  which  he  exprefied  in  the  law.  But,  merely 
from  the  exhibition  which  was  made  of  divine  wrath 
in  the  fufferings  of  Chnft,  the  pardon,  even  of 
one  finner  could,  with  no  certainty  be  inferred  - 
Unlefs  it  might  be  inferred  from  the  higheft  evi¬ 
dences  of  the  reality  of  God’s  dipleafure  againfc 
us,  that  therefore  he  would,  certainly,  not  $ unijh , 
but  pardon  us.  Upon  atonement  being  made, 
the  fituation  and  circumftances  are  fuch,  that  the 
greac  Governor  of  the  world  may  confidently  he- 
ftow,  or  withhold  mercy,  juft  as  fhall  tend  mofc 
effectually  to  anfwer  the  general  purpoles  of  di¬ 
vine  goodnefs.  Whereas,  had  there  been  no 
atonement,  there  would  have  been  the  higheft  in- 
confrftency  in  the  beftowment  of  pardon,  even 
on  one  (inner.  Now,  the  divine  benevolence 
might  exprefs  itfeifin  having  mercy  on  whom  it 
would  have  mercy,  and  whom  it  would,  harden¬ 
ing  ;  juft  as  it  would  contribute  to  the  greatefl. 
felicity  of  the  created  fyftem  :  While,  without  an 
atonement,  benevolence  itfeif  could  never  have 
urged,  or  even  admitted,  the  pardon  of  one  fm~ 
ner. 

The  atonement,  therefore,  expreffeth  a  bene¬ 
volence  which  has,  for  its  object,  the  higheft 
good  of  the  creation  — that  very  character  of 
God  v/hich  is  expreffed  in  the  free  and  general 

invitation 


CHAP.  X. 


1 43 

invitations  of  the  gofpel.  From  the  atonement , 
therefore,  the  uni  veil  al  falvation  of  fanners  cannot 
with  the  leaft  appearance  of  reafon,  be  inferred  ; 
unlefs  it  be  fir  ft  made  further  evident,  that  the  ends 
of  the  truell  and  moil  perfect  benevolence  cannot 
othnwffe  be  oompleatiy  anfwered  :  which,  it  is 
preiumed  cannot  be  done.  ’This  doklrine,  conse¬ 
quently,  never  originated  the  opinion  that  finners 
of  mankind  would  be  universally  faved  :  But,  it 
mint  have  arrfen  from  feme  other  quarter. 

It  being  thus  rrranifeft  that  the  doctrine  of 
atonement  is  far  from  being  fufficient  to  fupport 
the  lately  prevailing  fentiment  reSpeffing  univer¬ 
sal  falvation,  we  may  proceed  to  mention  fome 
things  which  give  reafon  to  fuppofe  that  the  very 
ends  of  the  atonement  may  be  more  perfectly  an¬ 
fwered  without  the  universal  falvation  of  finners, 
than  by  it  :  And,  that  the  eternal  deftrudtion  of 
Some  part  of  the  human  race,  will  bellow  a  luffre 
on  this  doTirinc ,  which  it  would  want  without  it. 

It  may,  firfl,  be  obferved,  in  general,  that 
whatever  illuftrates  the  dignity  and  glory  of  the 
character  of  Chrilt,  does,  of  courle,  give  import 
and  f  gnifcancy  to  the  atonement.  The  higher 
the  dignity  and  excellence  of  Chrilt’s  character 
rife,  in  the  view  of  creatures ;  the  more  important 
will  his  Sufferings!  and  death  naturally  appear. 
The  greater  import,  alfo,  there  appears  to  be,  in 
the  Sufferings  of  the  Saviour;  the  deeper  will  the 
impreffons  be,  on  the  minds  of  creatures,  of  the 
awful  anger  of  God  again!!  finners.  By  how 
much  the  hio-her  ideas  of  divine  anger  again!!  fin, 
rife  in  the  creature ;  by  fo  much  the  more  clear 
and  lively  will  be  the  fenfe  and  view  of  the  free¬ 
dom  and  riehneSs  of  fovereign  grace :  which  will, 

proportionahly. 


CHAP.  X. 


149 


proportionably,  contribute  to  the  greater  felicity 
of  the  fubjefts  of  it.  So  that  it  appears  to  be  of 
great  importance,  even  to  the  very  ends  of  the 
atonement  itfelf,  that  the  dignity  of  Chrift’s  cha¬ 
racter  fnould  be  fet  in  the  cleared;  point  oi  view. 

Hence  it  is  that  the  human  race  are,  all,  gi¬ 
ven  into  the  hand  of  Chrift,  for  him  to  difpofe  of 
forever  :  As  appears  from  his  being  appointed 
the  judge  of  the  world.  And,  that  the  atonement 
may  receive  additional  import  from  the  eternal 
deftruftion  of  fmners,  and  the  glory  of  Chrift’s 
char  after  be  greatly  illuftrated  by  the  vengeance 
which  lie  takes  upon  his  enemies,  is  evident  from 
the  following  confederations,  viz. 

1.  The  dignity  and  glory  of  a  Conqueror,  ap¬ 
pear  as  illuftrious  in  the  deftruftion  of  his 
enemies,  as  in  the  deliveranceof  his  friends  :  And 
regards  to  the  public  good,  are  as  fcrongly  paint¬ 
ed  in  the  evils  which  are  infiifted  on  the  opppfers 
of  it,  as  in  the  protection  which  is  offered  to  its 
friends.  Therefore,  the  Father  is  reprefentecl  as 
faying  to  Chrift,  in  confequence  of  his  having 
fmilhed  the  work  of  redemption,  “  Aftc  of  me, 
“  and  I  will  give  the  heathen  for  thine  inherit- 
<c  ance,  and  the  uttermoft  parts  of  the  earth,  for 

thy  pofteffion.  Thou  fhalt  break  them  with 
“  a  rod  of  iron,  thou  jhalt  dafn  them  in  pieces 
<c  like  a  potter's  vejjel In  this  way  is  Chrift  to 
triumph  over  his  enemies.  This  is  to  be  a  part 
of  his  reward  for  his  fufferings.  And,  a  promife 
of  fuch  a  triumph  would  never  have  been  made 
to  him,  unlefs  it  would  contribute  to  his 
greater  glory,  and  render  his  merit  more  confpi- 
cuous.  And,  if  the  true  merit  and  glory  of 

Chrift’s 


Pf.  2.  8,  9. 


150 


CHAP.  X, 


Chrifi’s  chara&fr  may  be  illuftrated  in  this  way  ■, 
this  would  naturally  lead  us  to  expect  that  his 
tender  love  to  Ins  church  and  his  infinite  aver- 
fion  from  the  enemies  of-bis  caufe  and  kingdom 
will  be  exhibited  in  awful  vengeance  on  impe- 
intent  Tinners,  at  the  day  of  judgment. 

1.  Christ’s  executing  vengeance  at  the  dav 
of  judgment,  will  naturally  exprefs  a  higher  de¬ 
gree  oi  refpeft  to  the  moral  law,  than  could  have 
appeared  without  it.  The  real  merit  of  Chrift, 
in  c  her  after  of  mediator,  confifteth  foiely  in  his 
regards  to  the  moral  law,  cr  to  that  charafter  of 
Jm  .  i  which  is  expreffed  in  it.  Had  not  his 
obedience  and  death,  while  upon  earth,  flowed 
from  this  principle,  it  would  have  been  of  no 
worth  in  the  fight  of  God.  But  becaufe  he  loved 
right eoujncjs,  and  hated  iniquity]  therefore  God, 
his  God,  hath  anointed  him  with  the  oil  of  glad- 
r.efs  above  his  fellow's.'  Had  he  not  expreffed 
the  higheft  fenfe  of  the  excellency  of  the  divine 
Jaw,  iiis  obedience  and  death  would  not  have 
been  the  lead  ground  for  mercy  to  finners. 

But  while  he  was  upon  earth,  neither  in  his  life, 
nor  in  his  death,  had  Chrifi  advantage  to  exprefs, 
in  full  perfeftion,  his  infinite  love  to  the  law  of 
God.  For  this  lie  needed  to  fuftain  a  different 
charafter  from  that  which  he  appeared  in  while 
on  earth  ;  and  to  be  in  a  different  fiction.  While 
in  the  world,  he  held  the  fiation  of  a  fervent  ; 
and  appeared,  and  acted,  in  no  other  capacity. 
S 'hen  he  expreffed  the  mofit  perfect  refpeft  and 
love  for  the  divine  law,  which  his  fituation  and 
charafter  would  admit  of  being  expreffed.  He 
acted  his  part  in  perfection  here  upon  earth. 


CHAP.  X. 


151 

His  whole  life  was  a  fcene  of  the  moft  perfetff  and 
fpotlefs  obedience  ;  and  that  in  the  midft  of  the 
greateft  oppofuion  and  trials.  And  further  to  dis¬ 
cover  his  entire  approbation  of  the  divine  lav/,  and 
the  high  estimation  in  which  he  held  that  glorious 
charader  of  Jehovah  which  appears  in  it  the 
Saviour  himfelf  fubmitted  to  death,  and  volun¬ 
tarily  became  a  curfe.  But  the  part  which  he 
had  to  aft  for  God,  and  for  his  glory  and  honour 
as  the  great  lav/giver  and  judge,  was  not  yet 
come  to  an  end.  Therefore  was  it  of  importance 
that  he  fhould  be  fet  at  the  head  of  the  univerfe  ; 
be  appointed  judge  of  quick  and  dead  ;  and  pafs 
the  Solemn  decifive  fentence,  which  would  fix;  the 
fate  of  creatures  to  eternity.  In  this  high  and 
exalted  ftation,  the  regards  of  the  divine  mediator 
to  the  moral  law,  his  love  of  righteoufnefs  and 
hatred  of  iniquity,  are  expreffed  in  ways  in  which 
he  had  no  advantage  to  difeover  them,  while  he 
was  upon  earth  ;  and  glow  in  colours  in  which 
they  never  could  before  appear.  Before,  he  ma¬ 
nifested  love  enough  to  the  law  of  God,  as  a  Jer- 
'uanty  to  obey  it  even  unto  death  :  Now,  as  a  King 
and  Judge,  to  administer  government  according 
to  the  Strict  tenour  of  it ;  difpenfing  rewards  and 
punishments,  and  actually  infiifling  the  death 
which  the  law  threatens.  As  a  fervant,  he  loved 
it  to  a  degree  which  engaged  him  to  endure  th? 
curfe  ;  as  a  King,  to  inSidt  it.  Before,  it  appear¬ 
ed  that  he  loved  finners  well  enough  to  die  for 
them  ;  now,  that  he  loves  God  well  enough  eter¬ 
nally  to  damn  them. 

From  his  Station,  therefore,  as  King  and  Judge, 
the  Mediator  is  viewed  in  a  different  light  frorn 
what  he  Could  appear  in  before  ;  and  clearer  dis¬ 
coveries  are  made  of  his  real  and  tranfcendently 
X  excellent 


CHAP.  X. 


15* 

Excellent  character.  Now  his  love  to  the  di¬ 
vine  law  puts  on  a  different  form  from  any  in 
which  it  had  before  been  ever  feen.  And  this 
aft  of  awful  juft-ice,  in  dooming  impenitent  fin- 
ners  to  eternal  death,  gives  an  import*  a  fignifi- 
eancy,  to  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  which  crea¬ 
tures  never  could  have  apprehended  without  it  ; 
giving  a  folemn  majefty  to  his  death,  which  will 
enable  his  people,  forever,  more  highly  to 
prize  it. 

Here  we  lee  an  obvious  reafon  why  the  Medi¬ 
ator  Ihould  be  appointed  the  judge  of  the  world. 
This  exalted  ftation,  the  holy  feriptures  teach 
us,  was  given  him  in  reward  for  his  fufferings, 
for  his  obedience  unto  death.  And,  in  this  laft 
folemn  aft,  before  he  gives'  up  the  -kingdom  into 
the  hand  of  the  Father,  he  hath  advantage  to 
exhibit,  in  more  flrong  and  glorious  colours  than 
cculd  ever  before  appear,,  the  perfect  union  and 
harmony,  in  himfeif  and  in  his  arduous  work, 
o f  mercy  and  truths  and  of  right ecujnejs  and  -peace, 
d'hej'e  not  only  have  harmonized  and  united  in  all 
the  doctrines  which  lie  taught,  and  the  w'ork 
which  Tie  accomplifliecl,  on  earth  j  but  they  meet., 
and  klfs  each  other  in  the  folemn  fentence  of  his 
lips,  <c  Come,  ye  blefied  of  my  Father,  inherit 
T  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you,  from  the 

foundation  of  the  world,”  And,  <(  depart,  ye 
11  curled,  into  everiafting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
<c  devil  and  his  angels.” 

3.  The  greater  refpeeft  is  manifefled  to  the 
law  of  God,  by  fuch  a  perfon  as  Chriji  who  died 
for  jinners  ;  the  more  evident  will  be,  both  th? 
evil  of  fin,  and  the  necefilty  and  import  of  the 
atonement. 

All 


CHAP.  X. 


All  the  new  honours  reflected  upon  the' divine 
law,  by  the  mediator,  neceffa-rily  increafe  and 
heighten  the  ideas  of  the  evil  of  fm.  And,  by 
how  much  the  more  the  evil  and  malignity  of 
fm  are  made  manifeft  ;  by  fo  much  the  more  ne- 
ceffary  will  the  atohement  appear  :  and  the  fig- 
nificancy  and  importance  of  it  be  proportions- 
bly  increafed,  in  the  e ft  i  m  at  ion  of  creatures. 
'And  yet,  without  this  laid  and  folemn  act  of 
judgment,  it  is  exceedingly  manifeft:  that  the 
high  eftimation  in  which  the  divine  law  is  held 
by  the  divine  Redeemer,  could  never  be  fo 
clearly  difcovcred,  or  fo  fenfibly  apprehended  by 
creatures  ;  even,  though  he  died  to  magnify  and 
make  it  honourable.  The  faints,  therefore  would 
forever  be  destitute  of  that  uifeovery  of  righte- 
oufnefs,  in  the  mediator,  which,  above  every 
thing  elfe,  crowns  thofe  regards  of  his,  to  the 
law  of  God,  which  he  exprefled  in  dying  upon 
the  crofs. 

But,  when  the  regard  of  Chrift,  to  the  di¬ 
vine  law,  is  feen  from  the  feat  of  judgment,  and 
expreffed  in  a  fentence  of  everlafting  punifhment 
upon  impeninent  fmners  j  the  faints  will  then  fee, 
in  a  more  clear  light  than  they  ever  could  before, 
how  great  a  thing  it  was  for  Chrift  to  die  forjin- 
vers ;  and  himfelf,  become  a  curje  for  them,  that 
they  might  be  the  right eoujncjs  of  Cod  in  him.  By 
thefe  means,  therefore,  tne  divine  purity  and  ha¬ 
tred  of  iniquity  will  be  greatly  heightened  to  the 
views  of  creatures  ;  and, 'clearer  apprehenfions, 
confequently,  be  had  of  the  nature,  the  extent, 
and  the  glory  of  divine,  fovereign  mercies  :  All 
which,  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  contribute  to  a  vaft  en¬ 
largement  of  the  powers  and  ftappinefs  of  thofe 
who  are  laved  by  Chrift. 

But., 


154 


CHAP.  X. 


But,  on  the  other  hand,  fhould  it  be  that  the 
fentence  of  the  lav/  is,  in  no  inflance  executed, 
at  the  laft  da/ ;  it  is  exceedingly  manifeft  that 
one  glorious  teftimony  of  Chrift’s  refpecl  to  the 
divine  law  will  be  wanting ;  And,  therefore,  one 
evidence,  of  the  neceffity  and  importance  of  his 
death.  And,  in  proportion  as  the  evidence  of  all 
thefe  is  defedtive,  the  ideas  of  divine  grace  mind 
be  diminifhed  j  and  the  glory  of  the  whole  gofpei 
fade  away. 

These  obfervations  make  it  manifefl  that  the 
atonement ,  notwithstanding  its  entire  fufHciency 
and  fullnefs,  is  far  from  implying,  either  a  neceffi- 
ty,  or  certainty,  of  the  falvation  of  the  whole  hu¬ 
man  race  :  So  far  from  it  that,  on  the  other  hand, 
both  the  necefllty  and  import  of  the  atonement 
may  be  greatly  illuftrated  by  the  eternal  deflrucli- 
on  of  impenitent  Tinners.  And  if  the  preceeding 
obfervations  are  jufr,  the  true  nature  of  atonement 
could  never  be  feen,  nor  properly  underflood, 
nor  the  real  worth  of  it  be  fuitably  eftimated, 
were  the  penalty  of  the  law,  in  no  in  fiance,  exe¬ 
cuted  in  its  full  extent  upon  tranlgreffors. 

And  as  the  fenfe  we  have  of  divine  grace  mull 
neceflarily  be  in  proportion  to  the  ideas  we  enter¬ 
tain  of  God’s  hatred  of  iniquity ;  itfeems  no  more 
than  rational  to  fuppofe  that,  in  order  to  preferve 
and  heighten  a  fenfe  of  grace,  in  thofe  who  are 
laved  from  among  men  ;  there  will  be  perpetual 
difplays  of  divine  anger,  on  veffels  of  wrath. 
And  to  fee  this  vengeance  executed  by  him  vjho 
himjelf  became  a  curje  for  his  people ,  will  greatly 
exalt  his  character,  and  give  a  language,  a  figni- 
ficancy,  to  his  death,  which  was  never  before  fo 
clearly  underflood. 


CONCLUSION. 


CHAP.  X. 


CONCLUSION. 

It  may  be  of  advantage  before  we  difmifs  the 
fubject,  to  turn  our  attention,  for  a  little  while, 
to  i'ome  of  the  natural  confequences  of  a  denial  of 
the  doctrine  of  atonement ;  or  of  the  fuppofition 
that  the  mere  perfevering  obedience  of  Chrifi ,  was 
all  that  was  neceffary  to  open  a  way  for  mercy  to 
finners.  The-fe  two  opinions  will  probably  be 
found,  on  careful  inquiry,  to  amount  to  one  and 
the  fame  thing  :  At  leaf:,  not  to  be  materially  dif¬ 
ferent  in  their  confequences.  They  both  deny 
any  real  neceffity,  arifing  either  from  the  moral 
character  of  God,  or  from  any  other  confiderati- 
on,  of  his  executing  any  punifhments  ;  or,  when 
fn  had  taken  place?  of  difplaving  in  its  natural 
fruits,  that  difpleafure  which  the  penalties  of  the 
law  would  naturally  fugged:. 

O  n  thefe  fentiments  it  may  be  obferved, 

i.  That  if  it  be  unneceiiary  to  the  glory  of 
the  divine  character,  and  the  good  of  God’s  mo¬ 
ral  government,  that  he  fhould  exprefs  his  ddf- 
pleafure  againft  fin ,  when  it  had  actually  taken 
place,  by  inflicting  natural  evil ;  it  was  of  courfe 
unnecefiary  that  God  fhould  ever  threaten  the  Tin¬ 
ner  v/ith  natural  evil.  Where  the  general  good 
doth  not  require  punifhments  to  be  infiiCled,  it 
doth  not  require  that  they  fhould  be  threatned. 
So  alfo  in  cafes  where  benevolence  will  not  ex- 
prefs  difpleafure,  it  will  not  threaten  creatures 
with  it.  It  difcovers  capricicufnefs  and  want  of 
wifdom,  to  annex  penalties  to  laws,  which  never 
need  be  executed — to  exprefs  difpleafure  in  words3 
in  cafes  wherein  it  doth  not  in  faff  exift.  On 
fuppofition,  therefore,  that  God’s  difpleafure 

againft 


CHAP.  X. 


156 

again  ft  Tinners  never  need  be  exprefTed  in  natural 
evils  ;  it  is  evident  that  the  moral  law,  abound¬ 
ing  as  it  does  with  awful  threatnings,  doth  not 
exp  refs  the  true  and  real  character  of  Gcd  ;  but 
•one  infinitely  the  reveife  ;  exhibiting  in  words , 
anger  which  hath  no  exiftencs  in  the  divine  mind, 
and  dreiTxng  the  great  governor  cf  the  world  in 
vengeance,  while  anger  is  not  in  him.  Nothing, 
therefore,  can  more  direftly  fubvert  the  fir ft  prin¬ 
ciples  of  divine  revelation,  than  the  luppofition 
that  it  is  unnecessary  to  the  glory  of  tire  divine  cha- 
rafter,  that  God  fnould  exprefs,  in  natural  evil, 
his  difpleafure  againft  fin.  That  opinion  which 
fuopofeth  that  fin  might  have  been  forgiven  with- 
out  atonement,  clothes  the  divine  Being  in  a 
charafter  exceedingly  diverfe  from  that  in  which 
he  appears  in  the  moral  law  ;  and  reprel'ents  him 
as  being  poftefied  of  a  goodnejs  of  an  exceedingly 
different  nature  from  that  which  the  moral  law 
naturally  exhibits.  Therefore,  for  Chrift  -to 
'come,  and  magnify  this  layo  and  do  it  honor 
.when  it  exhibits  a  charafter,  in  God,  fo  infinite¬ 
ly  diverfe  from  that  which  would  certainly  have 
iaved  finners,  even  though  Chrift  had  never  ap¬ 
peared  on  earth ;  would  be  very  far  from  being 
pleafing  to  the  Father  :  And  never,  in  his  view, 
could  have  merited  that  high  ftation  to  which  he 
is  now  exalted. 

These  confcquences  necefiarily  flow  from  a 
denial  of  the  necefllcy  of  an  atonement  ;  if  it  be 
granted  that  the  moral  law,  as  promulgated  in 
the  facred  Scriptures,  fpeaks  the  mind  and  will 
of  God.  If  the  divine  will,  the  feelings  of  the 
divine  mind,  perfectly  correfpond  with  the  writ¬ 
ten  law  }  it  is  inconceivable  that  God’s  anger 
a  gain  ft  Tinners  fnould  not  be  exprefTed,  in  his 

moral 


CHAP.  X. 


157 


moral  government,  by  natural  evil.  And  when 
we  conuder  the  fupremacy  and  mighty  power  of 
God,  to  deny  the  need  of  natural  evil  in  order 
truly  to  exprefs  the  character  of  God,  when  fin 
hath' actually  taken  place  ;  is  the  fame  as  to  deny 
that  there  are  any  feelings  in  the  divine  mind, 
which,  in  their  natural  ccnfequences  and  exprcflions 
would  bring  evil  on  finners.  For  if  Inch  feelings 
exift  in  the  divine  mind,  they  cannot  be  known 
otherwife  than  by  being  exprejft d  in  God's  works. 
And  if  it  is  God’s  great  end  to  make  himfelf 
known,  and  in  works  exhibit  his  true  character  to 
the  views  of  his  creatures ;  there  is  no  more  rea- 
fon  to  fuppofe  that  the  icenes  of  divine  govern¬ 
ment  will  be  deflitute  of  the  fruits  of  this  part  of 
the  character  of  God,  than  of  thole  which  direct¬ 
ly  exprefs  his  approbation  of  virtue. 


The  fuppofition,  therefore,  that  atonement  is 
not  need! ary  to  the  exercife  of  mercy  toward 
finners,  evidently  implies  that  the. written  law 
doth  not,  in  fact,  fpeak  the  very  mind  and  will 
of  God  :  But  that  the  law  itfelf,  at  furthell,  in¬ 
timates  no  more  than  that  the  (inner  who  perfifts 
in  wicks dnejs  fhali  fall  under  the  divine  anger. 
But  that  perfevering  wickeclnefs  and  impenitency, 
and  thele  only,  fliall  fubjedt  us  to  the  anger  of 
God,  is  fo  far  from  being  the  language  of  the 
divine  law,  that  it  curfeth  every  one  that  ccntinu- 
etfr  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
to  do  them.  If,  therefore,  nothing  but  perfeve- 
fing  wickednefs  fo  incurs  the  divine  anger  as  to 
expofe  to  natural  evil ;  nothing  can  be  more  cer¬ 
tain  than  that  the  written  law  doth  not  indeed 
truly  exprefs  the  will  of  God.  This  mu  ft  be 
true,  unlefs  the  plain  and  natural  language  of  the 
law,  is  that  only  certain,  atrocious  fan  fliall  be 

puni/hed. 


CHAP.  X. 


i53 

punifned.  And  if  the  confequenees  of  a  denial 
of  the  neceffi  ty  of  atonement,  which  have  already 
been  mentioned,  be  admitted  to  Hand  until  this 
can  be  found  to  be  the  language  of  God’s  written 
law  ;  they  will  not  fuddenly  be  l'ubverted. 

He  that  can  put  fuch  a  conftru&ion  on  the 
moral  law  as  leaves  room  for  the  efcape  of  finners 
of  certain  denominations  ana  characters  ;  with  an 
equal  degree  of  dexterity  in  criticifm  and  con- 
fuudtion,  wdli  foon  difcovcr  that  finners  of  every 
denomination  may,  even  by  law,  be  exempted  from 
punifiiment :  And  therefore  enjoy,  for  a  little 
while,  the  poor  confciation  of  believing  that  an¬ 
ger  is  not  in  God,  and  that  there  are  no  punilh- 
ments  for  the  wi cited. 

2.  If  it  be  unnecefiary  to  the  glory  of  the  di¬ 
vine  government,  thjit  God’s  anger  againft  fin¬ 
ners  ftiouid  be  exfrejjed  in  bringing  natural  evil  } 
it  is  equally  unneceffary  that  any  fuch  difpleafure 
as  would,  in  its  natural  fruits  and  operation, 
bring  evil  on  finners,  mould  ever  have  exigence 
in  the  divine  mind.  The  fuppofition  that  divine 
anger  need  not  be  exercifed  and  exprelfed,  im¬ 
plies  that  it  is  of  no  ufe  ;  and  therefore  not  an 
excellency  in  God  :  And  confequently  can  have 
no  exiftence  in  him. 

Thus  the  opinion  that  there  is  no  neceifity  for 
God’s  expltffing  his  anger  againd  finders,  by 
bringing  natural  eviLs  upon  them  ;  not  only  cuts 
off  the  penalties  of  the  law,  but  exhibits  the  di¬ 
vine  character  i  del  fin  a  point  of  light  exceeding¬ 
ly  diverfe  from  that  which  the  moral  law  natu¬ 
rally  exprexTeth.  And  the  denial  of  any  necefiity 
of  atonement,  in  order  to  a  confident  exercife  of 

pardon 


CHAP.  X. 


i 


*59 

pardon  and  mercy  ;  plainly  amounts  to  a  denial 
of  the  neceffity  of  punifhments,  under  the  divine 
government ;  or  of  any  neceffity  arifing  from  the 
divine  perfection,  that  God  ffiould  ever  exprefs 
difpleafure  by  inflicting  natural  evil. 

Nearly  the  fame  confeauences  are  involved 
in  the  opinion  that  the  -  f  erf  ever  ing  obedience  of 
Chrift  was  all  that  was  neeejtary  in  order  to  open 
a  way  for  mercy  to  finners.  For  unlefs  this  per- 
ievering  obedience  exprefled  divine  anger  againfl 
finners  it  is  rnanifeft  that  there  is  no  neceffity 
that  God  ffiould  either  exercife,  or  exprefs  anger  : 
And  therefore,  all  the  confequences  which  flow 
from  a  denial  of  the  neceffity  of  atonement,  flow 
equally  from  this  conftruCtion  of  the  nature  of  it. 

But  to  fay  that  Chrift’s  obedience  exprefled  di¬ 
vine  anger  againfl;  finners,  is  the  fame  as  to  fay 
that  all  that  anger  which  exifls  in  the  divine  mind, 
againfl:  them,  may  be  exprefled  without  natural 
evil — without  .punifhments.  This  is  evident; 
becaufe  it  is  implied  in  the  fuppofition  before  us, 
that  Chrift  exprefled  and  acted  out  the  character 
of  God  ; — that  the  cifpofmon  of  the  divine  mind 
was  perfectly  delineated  in  Chrift,  and  in  his  obedi¬ 
ence.  And  if  the  whole  difpofition  of  the  divine 
mind  toward  finners,  may  be  exprefled  without 
natural  evil,  without  puniffiment  5  it  is  plain 
that  no  puniffiment  is  ever  to  be  expeCted  or  fear¬ 
ed  :  And  that  for  this  obvious  reafon,  that  there 
is  in  faCt  no  difpofition  in  the  divine  mind  actu¬ 
ally  to  puniffi  offenders  ;  or  to  bring  natural 
evil  upon  them. 

Further  ;  to  fay  that  God  exprefleth  difplea-* 
fure  againfl;  finners  by  rewarding  the  obedience  of 
Y  Chrifi 


CHAP.  X. 


160 

Chrift  tvkb  &  parch'd  tcrfmners  ;  is  ftill  faying  that 
there  is  no.  anger  in  God;  but.  what  may  be  pro¬ 
perly  and  fully  exprdjed  by  bellowing  rewards. 
It  would  be  abfurd  to  fugppfe  .that  the  rewards 
which  a  in aifer,  or  apparent,  bellows  upon  an 
obedient  fervant,  or  child,  exprefs  difpleafure 
’again ft  the  reft  of  the  family*  And  if  fuoh  be 
"ell  the  anger  that  ever-  exifts  in  the  head  of  a  fa- 
mily  neither  children,  nor  fervanis,  need  ever 
be  afraid  of  poniffiment.  So  if  all  the  difpleafure 
which  exifts  in  the-  divine  mind  againft  iinners, 
may.  be  exprefied  in  rewarding  the  obedience  cf 
Chrift  ■,  it  is  apparent  that  there  is  no  difpleafure 
which  need  ever  be  exprefied  in  iniliSting  pun- 
ilhmcnt. 

Should  it  be  urged  that  both  the  Father  and 
•the  Son  exprefied  difpleafure  againft  finners,  by 
unitedly  acting  againft  the  caufe  of  fin  ;  and  that 
this  is  ail  the  way  in  which  it  is  neceffary  the  di¬ 
vine  anger  fhould  appear ;  the  confequence  would 
ftill  be  that  there  is  no  dilpo fit-ion  in  the  divine 
mind  to  punifh  offenders.  Becaufe  this  implies 
that  God  may  exprefs  all  the  difpleafure  which 
he  really  hath  againft  finners,  by  aching  in  fifth  a 
manner,  in  his  providence,  for  the  caufe  of 
righteoufnefs,  and  againft  that  of  iniquity,  as 
would  render  all  punifnment  unneceffary. 

The  denial  of  any  necefjity  of  atonement, 
and  every  con  ft  ruff  ion  of  the  nature  of  it  which 
fenders  punilliments  unneceffary  ;  are  equally 
iubvcrfive  of  the  moral  law.  Every  explanation 
of  the  nature  of  atonement  which  implies  it  to 
be  unneceffary  that  God  fhould  exprefs  anger 
againft  finners  by  natural  evils  ;  inverts  the  di¬ 
vine  Being  with  a  character  very  different  from 

that 


CHAP.  X. 


161 

that  which  the  moral  law  naturally  exprelles. 
All  fuch  ideas,  either  of  the  neceffity  or  nature  of 
atonement,  fuppofe  that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
moral  law  which  would  naturally  and  nec'effarily 
forbid  an  expectation  of  pardon,  upon  repent¬ 
ance,  even  though  Chrift  had  never  come  into 
the  world  :  And  therefore,  that  the  penalties  of 
the  law  do  not,  in  words,  exprefs  any  fuch  riif- 
pleafure  againft  f  nners,  as,  in  its  natural  opera¬ 
tion  and  fruits,  would  bring  the  punifhments  fpo- 
ken  of  in  the  law,  upon  them.  Such  ideas  of- 
atonement  Imply  that,  whatever  difapprobatiord 
may  exift  in  the  divine  mind,  of  the  charadbers-of' 
iinners  ;  ftillit  is  of  luch  a  nature  that  it  may  all 
be  expreffed.  without  natural  evil  :  Or,  at  lead,  , 
that  we  could  not  have  inferred  from  the  cleared: 
view  we  could  have  had  of  it,  that  God  would' 
ever  ptmifh  dinners.;:  even  had  Chrift -never  come 
into  the  world  and.  died. 

--  The  whole  controverfy  rdpefli-ng  atonement,'' 
therefore,  turns  upon  the  -  explanation  of  the  mo¬ 
ral  law ;  and  probably  arifes  from  different  con- 
ftru&ions  put  upon  it..  If  the  written  law  is  ex- 
preftive  of  an  anger  in  God  againft  finners,  which, 
in  its  natural  operation  would  bring  eternal  pun- 
ifhment  upon  them  it  is  obvious  -that  the  fpirit 
of  the  law  cannot  be  preferved  in  government, 
unlefs  this  anger  be,  in  fome  fenlibie'  way,  exhk-’ 
hi  ted  to  the  views- of  creatures  :  arid  confequent- 
ly,  that  it  .would  be.  inconfiftent  with  the  chara'c- 
ter  of  God  to  pardon  finners  without  an  atone¬ 
ment  ;  and  fuch  an  one  as  fhoul'd  exhibit  this' 
anger  ;  and  in  which  it  fhould  appear  to  burn 
againft  finners.  '■  Mv 

But  on  the  other  hand,  if  God  may  confident- 

:  m  ^  1  ly 


CHAP.  X. 


162 

ly  pardon  Tinners  without  an  atonement f  or  with¬ 
out  exhibiting  an  anger  which  would  bring  eter¬ 
nal  deftruCtion  upon  Tinners,  lhould  it  fall  imme¬ 
diately  upon  them  ;  it  is  obvious,  either,  that  the 
Jaw  exhibits  no  fuch  character,.  in  the  great  Go¬ 
vernor  of  the  world,  as  would  naturally  lead  us 
to  expect  fuch  an  event  ;  or  that  the  true  cha¬ 
racter  of  God  is  not  fairly  delineated  in  the  mo¬ 
ral  law.  For  that  the  lav/  fhould  threaten  eter¬ 
nal  death  to  every  tranfgreffor,  and  at  the  fame 
time  fairly  and  faithfully  delineate  the  moral 
character  of  God  ;  and  yet  that  God  fhould  par¬ 
don  the  Tinner  without  any  atonement  ;  is  a  raa- 
nifeft  abfurdity.  The  fuppofition,'  therefore, 
that  God  may  confidently  pardon,  without  any 
atonement,  either  wholly  fubverts  the  divine  law, 
or  gives  a  view  of  it-  totally  different  from  that 
which  is.  naturally  exhibited  ip  an  atonement. 

Here,  then,  according  to  the  ideas  of  thofe 
■who  deny  the  atonement,  are  the  true  feelings.of 
genuine,  gracious  repentance  2  at  lead:  it  involves 
an  apprehenfion  that  it  would  be  inconfiftent  with 
the  very  nature,  and  with  every  idea  of  goodnejs , 
for  God  to  fhut  us  out  from  his  favour.  From 
any  repentance  toward  God,  which  involves  thofe 
ideas  of  the  divine  character,  it  is  eafy  to  fee  the 
human  heart  is  not  naturally  very  averfe.  Yea, 
to  define  any  material ;  change,  with  refpeCt  to 
its  views  of  the  divine  character,  which  takes 
place. in  the  human  heart,  in  repentance  ;  will, 
on  this  hypotheiis,  be  utterly  impracticable. 
Surely  no  fuch  change  can  be  conceived  as  ren+ 
decs  divine,  fupennatural  influences,  inanymsa- 
fure  neceffary.  We  need  not,  therefore,  .be  fur- 
jprifed  to  hear  thofe  wl>o  deny  the  pecefiity  .of 

atonement* 


CHAP.  X. 


'  i;6j 

\ 

atonement,  renounce  every  ides  of  divine  fuper- 
natural  operation,  in  the  converfion  of  Tinners. 

And  with  what  appearance  of  confiftency,  gen¬ 
tlemen  who  entertain  Inch  ideas  refpeding  atpne- 
rnent,  can  urge  that  this  is  a  do&rine  which  Sub¬ 
verts  the  very  notion  of  grace  in  the  pardon  of 
Tinners ;  is  hard  to  be  conceived.  For,  with  Such,  - 
it  is  a  fundamental  maxim  that  it  would  be 
confident  with  gocdnefs  to  deny. pardon  to  peni¬ 
tents.  On  this  foundation  the  fuperftrudure  of 
their  whole  fyftem  is  built.  And  what  grace  there 
can  be  in  conferring  pardon,  in  cafes  wherein  if 
would  be  unjujt  and  cruel  to  withhold  it,  cannot 
pofiibly  be  imagined.  Little  reafon  have  thofe 
who  entertain  fuch  fentiments,  to  exclaim  againft 
the  advocates  of  atonement,  as  denying  the  doc¬ 
trines  of  free  grace  in  the  falva’tion  of  finners.  - 

Thus  manifefl  i3  it,  that  the  denial  of  atone¬ 
ment  makes  a  total  change  in  the  aiped,  not  only 
of  the  moral  law,  but  alfo  of  the  whole  chriftian 
fyftem.  It  exhibits  both  the  divine  character  it- 
felf,  the  dodrines  cf  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles, 
and  the  terms  on  which  the  ftnner  may  be  par¬ 
doned  and  faved,  in  a  light  infinitely  diverfe 
from  that  in  which  they  all  appear  in  the  atone¬ 
ment  of  Chrift. 

And  now  it  muft  be  left  with  the  candid,  in¬ 
telligent  reader,  to  judge  for  himfelf ;  faithfully 
comparing  what  is  here  offered  with  the  unerring 
oracles  cf  God.  Theje  ate  the  only  ftandard  of 
truth  ;  and  by  thefe  muftjevery  dodrine  be  tried. 
Every  fentiment,  every  iheme  of  dodrine  that 
will  not  bear  this  teft,  however  cherilhed,  or  by 
■whatever  great  name  it  beaut  hold  fed,  will  fooner 
or  later  fall  to  the  ground,  \  While,  on  the  other 

hand 


CHAP.  X. 


hand, •■'every  fyftem,  and  every  fentiment  that  is 
found  here,  however  unpopular,  however  explo¬ 
ded  by  the  great  and  the  wife,  among  men  ;  will 
infallibly  ftand,  And  fhine, 
and  etvr. 


nd  brighten  forever 


.An  d  the  whole  mult  be  left  with  PI  I  M  who, 
hrnklft.  made  atonement  for  .the  fins  of  the  world  j 
for  . him  to  ufe,  and  to  difpofe  of,  as  in  infinite- 
wifdom,  he  fhall.  fee  will  be  for  the  belt.  With 
Him  the  caule  of  truth  may  be  confided ;  in  his 
hand  it  is  infinitely  fafe.  M.ay  the  time  be  hafc- 
ened  when  th.e  darknefs  fhall  be  difpejled,  and. 
the  light  fhall  fhine  ■.  when  his  truth,  fuch  as  it  is, 
fhall  be  known  and  be  ccnfefied,  from  one  end: 
of  the  earth  even  unto  the  other ;  and  the  whole 
earth  final!  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  the  Lord.  AMEN. 


-w. 


.  I  i  .  i 

,1  Va 

a  vA 


i  •** 


:vj\ 


k  4-»4<J 


Errata. 

13 ACE  6,  Line  2,  from  the  Bottom,  for  its  read  his.  P,  15,  L. 

J5_  11,  between  he  and  ultimately,  infert  not.  P.  16,  L.  9,  read  in 

order  that  his  Jalvatien  may  he  confijlent  with  the  end  of  God,  Sec.  P.  ao,  v 
L.  6,  ir.  Bot.  tor  courfe  read  method.  P.  21,  L.  6,  lor  courfc  react 
meth  d.  P.  53,  L.  6,  for  induced  read,  endured.  P.  59,  L.  2;,  for 
fanfrifed  read  facrifced.  P.  104,  L.  21,  for  approbation  read  disap¬ 
probation.  P.  1 17.  L.  1,  dele  not.  P.  126,  L.  4,  fojr  t-ben  read  thus. 

P.  132,  L.  9,  fr.  Bot.  for  fovereign  read  foreign . 


)  * 


'  •  A  J. 


1/4 


